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DeMarcus Cousins Favored to Play for Lakers in 2020-21 Season; Knicks Are +225

Sam Cox

by Sam Cox in NBA Basketball

Updated Mar 29, 2021 · 12:59 PM PDT

DeMarcus Cousins
Where Will DeMarcus Cousins end up next? (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire)
  • DeMarcus Cousins was released by the Los Angeles Lakers midway through the season as he rehabs from an injury suffered last summer
  • A free agent this off-season, odds are available on Cousins’ next team
  • Will he return to Staples Center? Or could the Knicks swoop in? See the full list of teams and odds below

DeMarcus Cousins never got his big payday. Injuries have ruined his last three seasons and seen him miss out on millions of dollars. Tearing his ACL last summer meant he never took the court for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2019-20, and he was subsequently released in February this year.

The four-time All-Star is heading to free agency once again. While there will be no monster contract on the table, there’s likely to be plenty of interest in him.

The current betting favors a return to the Lakers with the Knicks not far behind.

Odds on DeMarcus Cousins’ Next Team

Team Odds
Los Angeles Lakers +175
New York Knicks +225
Boston Celtics +350
Houston Rockets +550
Los Angeles Clippers +600

Odds taken Apr. 23rd

Return to LA

The Lakers are one of the favorites in the NBA Championship odds, but there’s no doubt they will be looking for complementary pieces this off-season. Cousins was, and will be, a gamble, of course, yet his upside is great and he could provide all-important scoring alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the only players on the team above 13 points per game.

Cousins appeared to fit in well during his time with the Lakers, and continued to rehab at the team’s facilities after being released. He was often seen with the team. Clearly part of the group throughout 2019-20, the former Sacramento King is a viable option to return.

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Despite Davis’ reluctance to play the five, the Lakers have been strong at center this year with JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard playing more than useful minutes. McGee and Howard have thrived in their limited roles, setting screens, blocking shots and grabbing boards. Cousins is a very different player, he needs touches and is far more vulnerable defensively.

Cousins would force change if he’s to get notable minutes for the Lakers. He might not be the most sensible choice, and Rob Pelinka could look to stick with what has worked.

Star-Chasing Knicks

With new management at the helm and on the back of a woeful season, the Knicks will be looking to add a high-profile talent or two. It’s a pretty bleak free agency class, and a blockbuster trade would be a mistake, so Cousins could turn out to be the Knicks’ best chance at adding an All-Star caliber player.

There’s no guarantee that Cousins ever returns to that level, or that he’s even a starter, but New York will be desperate to do something after missing out on Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant last summer.

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The fit on the current Knicks roster is suspect. New management will hopefully be moving away from the all-frontcourt approach of last offseason, and Mitchell Robinson should be getting the majority of minutes at the five.

A one-year deal on the Knicks gives Cousins the chance to play at Madison Square Garden, and doesn’t tie up cap space for the Knicks long-term. It doesn’t look like the best scenario for either party, yet playing in a big market, Cousins might view New York as the best place to rebuild his value despite the competition for minutes.

Never Rule Out Houston

If Daryl Morey remains with the Rockets, they will surely be pursuing Cousins. He doesn’t fit with their current super-small ball, nor is he comparable to recently traded roll-man Clint Capela. Morey loves stars, though, and despite his injury issues, Cousins remains a big name.

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Although he shoots around 33% from three for his career, Cousins is a willing perimeter shooter. He could be a floor spacer for Russell Westbrook and James Harden, and while he wouldn’t help them defensively, he could ease the burden on PJ Tucker and Robert Covington, who have been getting a battering.

Bringing the best out of Westbrook means playing with pace (Houston is fourth in the NBA in pace this season), and that isn’t Cousins’ game. Should no starting role become available (the Celtics could be the best place for that), being a plan B off the bench for the Rockets would be a decent outcome for the former Pelican, however.

Pick: Houston Rockets (+550)

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