Lakers actively looking to acquire Cousins - Per ESPN

[JohnBoy65]

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/13131159/los-angeles-lakers-actively-trying-acquire-demarcus-cousins-trade-sacramento-kings

[Celts Fan 508]

http://abc7chicago.com/sports/lakers-actively-trying-to-acquire-demarcus-cousins-in-trade-with-kings/799460/

Sources say that the Lakers, Kings and Orlando Magic have had exploratory dialogue on a three-way Cousins trade that would land the 24-year-old in Los Angeles. All three teams hold top-6 picks in Thursday's NBA draft, and Orlando has a young top-flight center of its own in Nikola Vucevic, who could theoretically fill the Cousins void.

The Lakers would appear to have limited assets to get into the trade sweepstakes for Cousins -- in the event that Sacramento's stance changes -- beyond surrendering prized young big man Julius Randle and/or the No. 2 overall pick in Thursday's draft.

Orlando holds the fifth pick in the draft but would presumably expect a lot to be willing to part with Vucevic, who signed an extension of his own last October and has become the most consistently productive player from the four-team blockbuster trade in August 2012 that sent Dwight Howard from the Magic to the Lakers.

Doesn't sound like anything imminent but I wanted to post to see what you think the trade would be and your thoughts if he ended up a Laker. 

[footey]

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/13131159/los-angeles-lakers-actively-trying-acquire-demarcus-cousins-trade-sacramento-kings

Sounds like Vlade is not going to trade him, though.

[footey]

Did not see this already posted, sorry. Feel free to delete or merge with other thread....

[jaketwice]

http://abc7chicago.com/sports/lakers-actively-trying-to-acquire-demarcus-cousins-in-trade-with-kings/799460/

Sources say that the Lakers, Kings and Orlando Magic have had exploratory dialogue on a three-way Cousins trade that would land the 24-year-old in Los Angeles. All three teams hold top-6 picks in Thursday's NBA draft, and Orlando has a young top-flight center of its own in Nikola Vucevic, who could theoretically fill the Cousins void.

The Lakers would appear to have limited assets to get into the trade sweepstakes for Cousins -- in the event that Sacramento's stance changes -- beyond surrendering prized young big man Julius Randle and/or the No. 2 overall pick in Thursday's draft.

Orlando holds the fifth pick in the draft but would presumably expect a lot to be willing to part with Vucevic, who signed an extension of his own last October and has become the most consistently productive player from the four-team blockbuster trade in August 2012 that sent Dwight Howard from the Magic to the Lakers.

Doesn't sound like anything imminent but I wanted to post to see what you think the trade would be and your thoughts if he ended up a Laker.

I dislike his attitude, and would be thrilled if I could consolidate my hatred of the Lakers with my hatred of him as a person. I have really enjoyed hating Kobe Bryant, and he is surely going to retire soon. It's no fun to hate the band of also rans they currently have. Not a bona fide villain in the bunch.

[Geo123]

And so are the Celtics BUT HE"S NOT AVAILABLE...

[TheFlex]

Wow.

I guess if Cousins isn't available for #2 and Julius Randle, we sure aren't getting him. Posturing? Sure seems like if the Lakers truly are willing to give up this much, they'd get him.

[Celts Fan 508]

Wow.

I guess if Cousins isn't available for #2 and Julius Randle, we sure aren't getting him. Posturing? Sure seems like if the Lakers truly are willing to give up this much, they'd get him.

The article I posted made it seem like it was #2 and Vucevic to Sacramento with Randle and someone else going to Orlando.  Was very vague tho, so Im not sure.

[Who]

I think the addition of Vlade Divac is going to save them from some dumb Cousins trade.

I don't think LAL have any chance at getting Cousins (right now). However, I could see the same trade happening 1-2 years down line if Sacramento fail to put a winning team around Cousins and Cousins demands a trade. That trade package LAL is offering will be hard to top.

[PhoSita]

If Sacramento is legitimately worried about Cousins growing impatient or toxic, it could be worth considering a package like Randle + #2 + Clarkson for Cousins + Collison.

Would the Lakers really give up so much, though?  I wouldn't do it for just the #2 if I were Sac.



By the way, this is what I posted about a month or two ago -- there will be teams ready to trade for Cousins that have high draft picks they are willing to give up for him.  The Celts don't have that kind of firepower.

[TheFlex]

Wow.

I guess if Cousins isn't available for #2 and Julius Randle, we sure aren't getting him. Posturing? Sure seems like if the Lakers truly are willing to give up this much, they'd get him.

The article I posted made it seem like it was #2 and Vucevic to Sacramento with Randle and someone else going to Orlando.  Was very vague tho, so Im not sure.

Either way, if that's not getting it done for Divac, I don't know what will.

[Geo123]

Steve Kyler ?@stevekylerNBA  · 23m23 minutes ago 

Steve Kyler retweeted Brian Gill
Vlade.Divac@kings.com --- until he backs away from dealing away his best player "is not happening." - nothing there

[JHTruth]

Wow.

I guess if Cousins isn't available for #2 and Julius Randle, we sure aren't getting him. Posturing? Sure seems like if the Lakers truly are willing to give up this much, they'd get him.

Lakers would do it in a heartbeat. Lakers are a "win now" franchise. They would never wait around stockpiling assets for years at a time. If they're lucky Okafor will be 75% as good as Cousins is now. Plus they love building around bigs. No doubt the Lakers would pull the trigger without hesitation..

[greg683x]

this is why acquiring Cousins was never a viable scenario for us.

Dont even mention Julius Randle, the #2 pick itself trumps anything we could offer

[Robb]

I think anyone would have been able to see this potentially coming. Really similar to last summer with Kevin Love when other teams just had trump cards that the Cs didn't have like Golden State with Klay Thompson  and Chicago with Nicola Mirotic before Cleveland came out with the Wiggins, the Ace.

Worse things could happen, but if it's a player who will take assets to acquire like Cousins, it at least takes up cap space for another potential suitor of the free agent crop. Glass half full, y'all.