Vogel: Cousins on track to return this season, healthy for playoffs

[Danny Darko]

pimp slap beverly and morris and it's all worth it.

[Kilroy]

pimp slap beverly and morris and it's all worth it.

Right, and that's literally what it comes down to... You keep Cousins because you know that unhinged f***er isn't going to try to take the high road when things get chippy. He's not going to smile and shake his head when Beverley starts running his mouth, or Westbrook tries to humiliate us, or whatever...
We don't really have that guy on the team. They all defer too much to LeBron. Cousins won't....
So even if he's a shell of his former self athletically, he's still valuable to us as the modern equivalent of an Enforcer.

That said, if someone could find a way to get some Rodman mentality into Howard, I'd be fine dumping Cousins. But Howard is starting to forget why he's here with all the love he's been getting...

Getting Cousins back at the right time could be a huge boost for AD and might be a real game changer for us.

I learned a long time ago to stay out of Domestic issues, so I don't even want to hear about that... If there was a provable crime committed, I'd assume he'd be in jail... Since he's not, I'm only interested in what he can provide us on the court. His reputation off the court is his problem.

[Kilroy]

He's going to have to be tight in his role. If he is out there jacking 3s then those are just shots taken out of AD's and Lebron's hands. He's going to have to really study his role and really commit to it.

Yeah, and that was always an issue with him before... Cousins had no role. He did whatever he wanted on offense and the rest of the team tried to make it work... He was pretty good at it, but a bad team mate as a result, just because it's hard to build around that.

So I agree... His contract comes with the proviso that he stay in the paint and guard the guy AD doesn't want to. But I figure his health is going to make that concern an non-starter... He's not going to have the mobility he used to have that allowed him to float around on offense. So he'll probably be glued to the paint anyway.

[TKainZero]

I’m not sure what need cousins would fill.

[nzahir]

I’m not sure what need cousins would fill.

If he was even at GS level last years regular season, he would help be a scoring boost off the bench who could also pass the ball from the post or the elbow.

If next season he can be like 80% of Pels boogie, he would be a beast off the bench and should destroy 2nd units

Really excited for the potential this offseason in terms of hopefully bringing boogie, dwight, and KCP back. Looking to move Kuzma possibly. Filling the pg/back up pg spot. Add some shooting possibly

[stan francisco]

pimp slap beverly and morris and it's all worth it.

Right, and that's literally what it comes down to... You keep Cousins because you know that unhinged f***er isn't going to try to take the high road when things get chippy. He's not going to smile and shake his head when Beverley starts running his mouth, or Westbrook tries to humiliate us, or whatever...
We don't really have that guy on the team. They all defer too much to LeBron. Cousins won't....
So even if he's a shell of his former self athletically, he's still valuable to us as the modern equivalent of an Enforcer.

That said, if someone could find a way to get some Rodman mentality into Howard, I'd be fine dumping Cousins. But Howard is starting to forget why he's here with all the love he's been getting...

Getting Cousins back at the right time could be a huge boost for AD and might be a real game changer for us.

I learned a long time ago to stay out of Domestic issues, so I don't even want to hear about that... If there was a provable crime committed, I'd assume he'd be in jail... Since he's not, I'm only interested in what he can provide us on the court. His reputation off the court is his problem.

ENFORCER. I agree that that’s the main value.

On-court reasons for us to play Cousins as much as his health allows:
1) Enforcer attitude. Not a great defender, he still won’t hesitate to knock Kawhi on his ass in the paint, like LBJ and AD won’t. He’ll even give him an angry eye staring at him down on the ground. LBJ doesn’t have the stones.
2) PnR with AD. They did it in NO. They have a great rhythm together offensively. Chemistry. Unguardable when both are on.
3) See the ‘go huge’ lineup in my sig below. Guard that, LA Ballmers.

[kblo247]

I would tell anyone who wants to see where he is at mentally watch All The Smoke Podcast today that he did.

Crazy to hear him say about the injury he felt he shouldn’t have been out there that day looking back but wanted to try to not miss any gym day after the finals because he set a goal for himself of practice and play every day. Then he got hurt in the final play of the scrimmage.

He speaks very highly of AD. He also spoke about being traded by Vlade without being told and being told during the all star broadcast and how awkward it was. He talked about how happy he was to get the call and come to the Lakers with Lebron and AD. He spoke about how Golden State put him through a program to rehab his torn quad in 6 weeks to make the finals and how he got criticized but knew no one wants to miss the finals as a kid. He discussed he plays aggressive and like a bully because he played with older people who beat him up and did that with him which is why he lashed out at refs and people when he feels like he is losing.

He also talked about how he likes talking to Matt Barnes when he had issues with play, trades, injuries, and the family issues because Matt has been there and done that.

Funniest part of him was saying that to him his most favorite opponent was Zach Randolph because he loved to bump and bang with him. He said Zach can’t jump over paper but he get buckets and he once told him bullies can get bullied but that’s why he knows people can stay effective, a walking 20 and 10

Boogie said there was nothing like being a laker. Despite being in a suit, he gets mire love on a personal level than he’s ever got in the league just walking around. Said he stays involved because he loves the way the team is, and said Dwight is his homie who he **** with. Said the best thing he learned about this team is that no one got judged by who they were before coming there and they have chemistry because of that. Says the whole team sticks together, goes to the movies, practices, talks and does things together without it being forced. Says they all move as a team on the road, the lakers show up to dinner and movies. Said Lebron and him got along because he was expecting to see corporate Lebron but has met a real side of him. Says it’s full of people doing **** the right way. He avoided the KIDD/Vogel/Hollina stuff when jack said Kidd is doing the coaching and Matt said Holling. He talked about how Phil Handy has helped him get right and can give you baskets and demonstrate anything he tell you.

Best thing Cousins said though was about the clippers and meeting them in the playoffs ... “I want all that smoke”

He also said George Karl is the worst coach he has ever had. He said Kuzma is a lil brother and that Kuzma asks everyone he meets for help and what they see and know. Matt Barnes said Kuz has talked to him too and you can tell he’s trying to put it together. Also called Yung Bleu and Rylo Rodriguez his favorite artists. And he discussed riainign his siblings because his mom worked doubles at night to make things work while they went to school

[Beethoven]

^maybe you should work as a Lakers editorial writer.