With the All-Star break passing, Frank Vogel recently talked about the possibility of DeMarcus Cousins returning this season.
After Team LeBron won the All-Star Game in what ended up being a thriller, the Los Angeles Lakers will be looking to head into the playoffs on a positive note.
As of now, the Lakers are one of the best teams in the NBA. With the best record in the Western Conference, the Lakers could end up being in the NBA Finals this season. When the trade deadline passed, the Lakers ended up staying put. While they are exploring other free-agent options, the Lakers very well might not have any major roster changes.
During All-Star Weekend, Frank Vogel gave an update on the health of DeMarcus Cousins. Here’s what Vogel said about Cousins with text via Silver Screen and Roll.
"“He’s on track to get healthy by the playoffs, and we’ll have to see where he’s at with rhythm, and conditioning, and timing and all that stuff. But there is a possibility he returns this season, yes.”"
Seeing Vogel mentioned that Cousins could be back in time for the playoffs is interesting. Cousins suffered a torn ACL over the summer, and his timetable was thought to be around playoff time if things went right.
Cousins was actually a big signing for the Lakers, as they had hopes that he would be a starting-caliber center on the team. Despite suffering injuries with the Pelicans and the Warriors in recent year, Cousins was in great shape over the summer and was looking to have a comeback season.
When healthy, Cousins was an All-Star and one of the best big men in the NBA. However, due three major leg injuries now, it is impossible to know what type of player Cousins could be if he came back this season.
For the Lakers, they are very fortunate that they have Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee on the roster. The two of them have combined to play very well, and Howard especially has had a great season.
As we get closer to playoff time, it will be interesting to monitor the health of Cousins. However, it seems like we might see Cousins return depending on how far the Lakers make it in the playoffs.