Jakay wrote:I'd really like to see this team somehow land Cousins. It just seems like a good fit to me in a way that I don't have any good reasons for, other than the big man history of the Lakers.
Personally, so long as the Lakers can keep the pick, I'd probably use it as leverage in a last ditch effort, since I don't know what it would take to land him otherwise. Randle and Clarkson are enough developing youth for a starting line-up. That trio with one or two smart complimentary signings would be a good start.
A star backcourt player is the next biggest hurdle after that. Kobe is already old, and as promising as Clarkson is, I don't think he's enough. I'd say SF, but I expect to see Randle play at both forward positions, especially if Hill and Davis are still around.
But yeah, Cousins would be target 1 for me, I think. He's just so talented, and already putting up big numbers without being a prima donna anymore. It's not a far move, I don't feel that anyone in this draft will put up better numbers than he is already (but I am NOT a college guy, so that's more just the lack of substantial consensus speaking) and I gotta think Vlade still has a bit of love for this organization, even given the epic playoff battles that ensued shortly afterwards.
It would probably take randle, the top 5 pick and clarkson to get DMC. That is a trade you do if you subscribe to the "you need a franchise player to win a championship" school of thought, and that trade might only be available if the rift between cousins and Karl is real. I guess at the end of the day it just depends how you want to build a team. If you think that talent trumps all and the building a big 3 should be prioritized, then that trade is definitely for you. It's a safe trade, one that shifts the risk of Randle/top 5 pick not panning out to the Kings. It also greatly increases the chances of a love Westbrook reunion in La happening. There are other ways to build a team, but the Lakers are in a position where they hold assets.
