The Los Angeles Lakers are still pursuing a trade for All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins regardless of the scenario that the transaction may cost them this year's no.2 overall pick D'Angelo Russell, according to Mark Heisler of Los Angeles Daily.
The Lakers aren't putting themselves out of contention for Cousins despite already using the no.2 overall pick for the Ohio State Buckeyes playmaker. According to Heisler, a source close to situation told him the Lakers remain very interested in pulling off a deal for Cousins, even if that deal would require them to sacrifice Russell.
"You shortcut it at your peril, even if the Lakers were willing to trade their No. 2 pick for Sacramento's even-higher-maintenance-than-Dwight-Howard DeMarcus Cousins ... and would send Russell up there tomorrow if that would do it, a league source told me," Heisler wrote.
Days heading into this year draft, the Lakers already made its presence felt by placing a trade offer on Sacramento Kings' table for Cousins, the All-NBA second-teamer who averaged 24.1 points, 12.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game last season.
With the Orlando Magic willing to throw in Nikola Vucevic into the mix of a potential three-team trade, there were reports the Lakers were inching closer to landing Cousins, before the negotiation collapsed.
The Lakers, who were expected to use their lottery pick for Jahlil Okafor, surprised everybody in the green and war rooms by selecting Russell instead of Duke's big man. The Lakers were reportedly thrilled by the playmaker's performance during workouts and his incredible upside that draws comparison to the likes of Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul.
However, anything can still happen over the next three months. And with the Lakers very much inclined to give Kobe Bryant a sweet parting gift of another title shot by giving him slew of All-Star caliber talents around him, Russell's future with the purple-and-gold remains uncertain.