In what was supposed to be a bounce-back year that potentially led to a mega-contract, DeMarcus Cousins will instead be rehabbing another major leg injury.
On Thursday, it was announced that the new Lakers center had torn his ACL during a practice session. It is Cousins’ third serious injury in the last couple of years, along with a torn Achilles and torn quadriceps.
Not only is it devastating news for Cousins, who is likely to miss most if not all of the upcoming season, but it leaves the Lakers in a tough spot. They now have to decide what to do with the big minutes they allocated to Cousins upon signing him.
Here are some possible options the Lakers can look at for their center position heading into the 2019-20 season.
JaVale McGee
McGee will be affected the most by Cousins’ injury. As the starting center for Los Angeles last season, he was fifth in the league in blocks per game and was consistent in cleaning up around the rim. He already has a year of playing alongside LeBron James under his belt, which will help him adjust to playing big minutes once again. While Anthony Davis will now likely see time at the 5, McGee is the only true center on the roster and the likely opening-night starter.
Kenneth Faried
After being a healthy scratch more often than not with Denver, Faried averaged 12.9 points and 8.2 rebounds in 25 games with the Rockets. “The Manimal” may not be the spectacular athlete he was several years ago, but at 29 years old, he still has some athletic ability left. A combination of Faried and McGee is an intriguing option for L.A.
Marcin Gortat
Gortat has had a long career of being a serviceable big man. While not starter material anymore, Gortat still earned 43 starts last year with the Clippers before being waived. He averaged five and five in just 16 minutes per game and was efficient doing so, shooting 53.2 percent on his shots from the field and 72.9 percent on his free throws. His experience could come in handy for a team ready to win now.
Amir Johnson
Johnson has always been a steady role player during his 14-year career. The 32-year-old Los Angeles native played in 51 games for the 76ers last season, averaging just under five points and three rebounds in 10.4 minutes before being waived. Over the last three seasons, Johnson shot a career-high percentage from three, showing he can adjust his game and potentially help the Lakers get back some of the shooting Cousins would’ve given them.
Joakim Noah
The former All-Star had a little bit of a resurgence last season for the Grizzlies. In 42 games, Noah averaged 7.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 16.5 minutes per game. Not to mention, Noah is an excellent defender who could be a low-cost, low-risk solution to help fill up center minutes.
Dwight Howard
Yes, this one may seem like a bit of a stretch. But the former Laker has said he’s open to the idea of playing for Los Angeles again. Now with Memphis, Howard is a potential buyout candidate who would likely give L.A. better production than any other center available. Hey, crazier things have happened.
