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DeMarcus Cousins has torn his ACL on while working out in a gym in LA, as reported by Shams Charania.
This comes as a huge blow to Cousins who had slimmed down considerably in an attempt to get his career back on track with a one year prove it deal with the Lakers after a disappointing season coming off a torn Achilles with the Golden State Warriors. Sport is often cruel, if this injury is as serious as it seems then this will certainly derail Boogie’s comeback indefinitely.
Cousins was expected to take his place as the much sought after third star on the Lakers 2019/2020 roster, joining LeBron James and Anthony Davis in LA’s pursuit of a title. For the Lakers, Cousins going down has much more of an impact on the court than off it. Luckily for Rob Pelinka, the Lakers GM, Cousins was signed on a one-year prove it deal so the cost is minimal for the Lakers front office.
As impersonal as it sounds, the Lakers must now move past Boogie’s injury and focus on who is going to replace him.
Cousins’ ability to space the floor as a stretch-five was a huge boost to this Lakers roster which was already lacking depth. The obvious move now is for Anthony Davis to move to the centre position, something he can do and did do in New Orleans. However, Davis has expressed his desire to remain at the power forward position. Both Kyle Kuzma and Jared Dudley can play the five if the Lakers go to play small. Although, this is not ideal as what Kuzma lacks defensively, Dudley lacks offensively.
Looking outside for additions, now is a difficult time in the NBA for teams to shift and move players. If anything this whole ordeal has rubbed even more salt into the wound that was Pelinka and Magic Johnson letting Brook Lopez go to Milwaukee in 2018.
Cousins’ injury is a cruel reminder that nothing is guaranteed in this league and teams must take nothing for granted. With the Lakers already one man down, even more pressure will be put on an ageing LeBron James to deliver in what will be his seventeenth season.
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