Lake Show Life
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Los Angeles Lakers: 3 reasons to stay away from DeMarcus Cousins

By Jason Reed

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JUNE 08: DeMarcus Cousins #15 of the LA Clippers warms up before Game One of the Western Conference second-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena on June 8, 2021 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JUNE 08: DeMarcus Cousins #15 of the LA Clippers warms up before Game One of the Western Conference second-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena on June 8, 2021 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers Dwight Howard
(Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

2. The Los Angeles Lakers do not need another center

The Los Angeles Lakers currently have two centers on the roster in Marc Gasol and Dwight Howard and that is all the team really needs. First of all, those two are already going to combine for 35-40 minutes together with the remaining minutes being Anthony Davis likely playing the small-ball five.

Yes, Davis has been hesitant to play center in the past but it is something that is necessary with Russell Westbrook. The floor spacing with Westbrook, Davis, LeBron James and a traditional center would be less than ideal in crunch time situations.

You get your 48 minutes at the center position with those three players. Sure, frequent readers of Lake Show Life might bring up the fact that I have been on the record for wanting the team to play power forward.

On paper, Cousins could get minutes at the four or signing him to be a center to stretch the floor would allow Davis to play more power forward. While that theoretically would work on paper, it really would not add any new dynamic to the team.

Cousins could not play the four with another center on the floor. Sure, he can space the floor with his shot but he cannot be a wing and his perimeter defense is shaky at best. It would be an awful look.

And while he theoretically could make up Davis’ minutes at the five and allow Davis to play the four (while also spacing the floor), Cousins does not really bring anything new that Marc Gasol is not already bringing. Gasol can come in for those situations.

The third reason is the most important of all, though.

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