Los Angeles Lakers: 5 players that could fill the void of DeMarcus Cousins

(Photo by Stacy Revere/BIG3 via Getty Images)
(Photo by Stacy Revere/BIG3 via Getty Images)
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Los Angeles Lakers
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3. Marcin Gortat

Marcin Gortat has been a Lakers hater in the past, like when he said John Wall would “torture” Lonzo Ball a couple of seasons ago. However, he might be a great veteran option for the team to pursue to play with this current roster.

Gortat has always been a consistent player on both sides of the ball and would be a very competent backup option if the Lakers chose to sign him. He is far removed from his best season in the league where he averaged 15 points and seven rebounds, but last season he proved he had some left by averaging five points and 5.6 rebounds in only 16 minutes per game.

He played last on the Lakers cross hall rival the Clippers, so he might have some insight into what could help the Lakers win the ever-important battle of Los Angeles next season. Yet the Clippers roster has transformed tremendously since last season, so he might not have much info on how to stop their two top stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

On offense, he is not going to make as big of an impact as Boogie Cousins might have had, but he is going to make the right decision most of the time. When it comes to the other side of the ball, he does not have the versatility to guard quicker players like Cousins, but he might be a better overall rim protector in the paint.

He does not have the experience of playing deep into the playoffs like some of the other notable big men on this list, but he has gained a ton of experience in his 12-year career. He could easily step in and stabilize what has been a shaky center position for the past few seasons.