According to NBA insider Eric Pincus, the Lakers will target both DeMarcus Cousins and Paul George closer to the NBA Trade Deadline. “Plan A for the Lakers is still LeBron James. Having said that, at the deadline, the Lakers have two targets: Paul George and DeMarcus Cousins. I think George is more of a long shot since the Thunder seem to have figured things out over the last 10 games. However, the Pelicans are a different story because they’re just above .500. If they don’t climb the standings, they will be open to move Cousins,” Pincus said during the LakersNation Podcast.
More on DeMarcus Cousins to Lakers?
Sirius XM NBA: . @Adrian Wojnarowski says on our air that it came down to the #Lakers & #Pelicans & that Kings management & the owner went with NOLA's deal
Sean Cunningham: Karl Book: 6. Kings talked to Lakers re: trading Cousins 7. Ranadive talks to John Calipari a lot 8. Ranadive committed to star player
The Lakers would be selling low, anyway. Their young guys might be considered more unproven than intriguing, though opinions about them among rival front offices are all over the place. Some executives would trade Ingram and Russell for Cousins today. Others consider that lunacy.
In recent weeks, Sacramento ownership's intrigue with Calipari has only grown with the dissolution of the relationship between All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins and coach George Karl, sources said. Calipari coached Cousins at Kentucky for a season in 2009-10, and Ranadive believes Calipari could help serve as a mechanism to convince Cousins to back away from his desire to be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, sources said. As much as anything, Calipari represents one more potential change of direction, as well as a public-relations splash for Ranadive.
Ramona Shelburne: Lakers remain interested in Cousins, but aren't in pursuit right now. They love Russell and want to keep him. Focus is on free agency now
So when Fegan tried to orchestrate a trade that would send Cousins to the Los Angeles Lakers in the days leading up to the draft – one that Kings owner Vivek Ranadive gave him permission to pursue when he made it clear that Cousins wanted out – it wouldn't have shocked anyone if Divac decided to do the deal just to quiet this storm. Instead, he's trying to fix a fractured situation on his terms.
If the Lakers and Sacramento Kings halted talks about DeMarcus Cousins before the NBA draft, it remains to be seen if that was merely a pause. A league source tells Forbes.com that the Lakers would still trade newly-drafted D’Angelo Russell for Cousins. Crazed as it was to even discuss sending such a potential force to a division rival, the Kings did, although with an astronomical asking price: The Lakers’ No. 2 pick which became Russell, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, and more future picks. That makes a deal unlikely, unless ride-the-wind-reap-the-whirlwind Sacramento owner Vivek Ranadive changes his mind, again.
Jake Fischer: A disgruntled DeMarcus Cousins' representatives initiated the trade discussions between Kings and Lakers, according to a league source.
DeMarcus Cousins: League source familiar with Cousins' thinking: "DeMarcus wants to be a Laker. It’s up to the two sides to make a deal."
Kings vice president of basketball operations Vlade Divac has pursued a possible deal that would include a bevvy of assets, including the Lakers' No. 2 pick in Thursday's NBA draft, rookies Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson and other draft assets, league sources told Yahoo Sports. Sacramento also would want to unload the remainder of forward Carl Landry's two years, $13.5 million contract, league sources said.
The Lakers and Sacramento Kings continue to discuss a trade for Kings All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins, according to a person familiar with the situation. The Lakers' offer includes the second overall pick in Thursday's NBA draft and "might be the best offer the Kings can get" at this point, according to the person, although the Kings have publicly stated they are not interested in trading Cousins. The Lakers would probably also have to give up Julius Randle to complete the deal, among other salary considerations. Randle sustained a season-ending broken leg on opening night last season after being drafted seventh overall.
Cousins' agent, Dan Fegan, would like to steer his client to the Lakers, who can offer Julius Randle and this year's No. 2 pick -- though rival teams doubt the Kings would send Cousins to a division rival. The Knicks are another team on Cousins' list, but all the Knicks have to offer is the fourth pick (which, bear in mind, can't officially be dealt until the Knicks use it, since their 2016 first-rounder already has been traded).
