For the third year in a row now, DeMarcus Cousins will be sidelined from NBA games because of another leg injury - this time a torn ACL.
According to Shams and Woj, this morning it was reported that DeMarcus Cousins tore his ACL while training which means he is expected to miss most, if not all, of next season.
This is a huge blow to his career as this injury is just another one along a line of setbacks from the past two seasons. In 2018 he tore his Achilles while playing with the Pelicans. At the time he was averaging 25 points and 13 rebounds per game along side Anthony Davis who was averaging 26 and 10. Together they had led the Pelicans to a 27-19 record up to that point. One year later, in his first playoff appearance ever (while playing for the Warriors), he injured his quad which sidelined him until Game 1 of the NBA Finals. While in the Finals, he had three good games and even saved the Warriors from losing in Game 5 after Kevin Durant tore his Achilles. Now, while training in the offseason (and after signing a 1 year $3.5 million deal with the Lakers), he has torn his ACL.
DeMarcus Cousins, despite some of this character issues with the Sacramento Kings, is a perennial big man in this league and, at the peak of his powers, is one of the best and most exciting big men to watch because of the size and skillset he brings to the game. Now we have to wait again to see him play a full NBA season.
So basically my question is this: why can't he catch a break? He, by all accounts last year was a good teammate in Golden State and Anthony Davis advocated for the Lakers to sign him this offseason because of the incredible chemistry that had in New Orleans.
That fact that this injury happened this year is devastating for everyone, but especially for two parties: Anthony Davis and the Lakers.
As I mentioned, Davis recruited Cousins and even sold him to the Lakers as a player they needed. Their relationship is clearly a special and important one to Davis. In fact, during the All-Star game, after Cousins' injury, Anthony Davis wore DeMarcus Cousins' jersey during the game in order to honor that fact that he was still one of the games' best players - despite a torn Achilles.
On the court, Cousins also allowed Davis to play the 4 rather than the 5 which Davis has openly said he doesn't like playing. There was the hope for Lakers fans that, reuniting Davis, Rondo and Cousins on the same team would spark some magic and inspire these players to make the playoffs like they did two years ago.
For the Lakers as an organization, this hurts them because now they are only down to two players who can realistically play the Center position for long stretches during games: Anthony Davis and Javale McGee. Kyle Kuzma and LeBron James can try and play at Center for a bit, but neither of them excelled at it or enjoyed it so I don't think that is a long-term solution to a hole the Cousins' injury created. The Lakers could try and throw Kostas Antetokounmpo in the mix at Center if need be, but he is completely unproven on a team that is looking to win a title this season.
There are also some low-tier free agents that can try and sign, but none that will be as good as Cousins at his peak. There are rebounding Centers like: Greg Monroe or Andre Bogut; but besides defense, they don't provide much else at their age. Additionally, Bogut seems like he never wants to sign with the Lakers again after they released him two years ago.
The Lakers now have major depth concerns at the big man position just when they thought they were solidified with their roster.
More importantly though, this is a tough break for a great player who, when healthy, is top 15 in the league. I hope he gets over this rough injury stretch because I hate when health derails a players career as it has appeared to do with Cousins' these past couple of years. Injuries have derailed great careers for players like Isaiah Thomas and Brandon Roy and that is the worst way for a players' career to go because it leaves us with so many what-ifs. So get better Boogie! We're all rooting for you!
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