The #2 pick

[Retroram52]

We're talking about arguably the best center in the game who is young enough to be a franchise cornerstone for the next 10 years vs. a 36 year old who has missed almost the entire past 2 seasons with injuries and is almost certain to retire after the season.

All due respect to Kobe, but his feelings and whether or not he can get along with him should be the last of the Lakers concerns.

Granted that should be the least of the Lakers concerns but as we saw with Howard, that cancer spreads and then you have to reset after Kobe leaves and it may blow up in the Lakers face just like the Howard trade did. This is all predicated on whether Cousins is as bad as everyone says he is.

 

[trojanfan12]

Granted that should be the least of the Lakers concerns but as we saw with Howard, that cancer spreads and then you have to reset after Kobe leaves and it may blow up in the Lakers face just like the Howard trade did. This is all predicated on whether Cousins is as bad as everyone says he is.

Remember, Cousins is only 24. Much of what he gets criticized for was him being immature and not knowing how to handle the dumpster fire that the Kings have been. He seems to have learned a little from that.

I think going to a more stable franchise may be good for him as well. Kobe had his fair share of maturity issues. It's part of the problem with guys coming in straight from high school or after only 1 year of college, imo.

 

[Retroram52]

Yea, TJF12, like I stated. Most of this Kobe-Howard II discussion is predicated on the notion that his head-case label is still intact. If they do this deal, which right now is still not going anywhere because the majority Kings owner has put a kabosh on the trigger, and Cousins becomes star material, then the FO and probably Jim Buss will look like geniuses. They only downer is losing a potential superstar-in-the-making like Randle.

 

[Louie26]

I don't get the love affair with Cousins at all. He's been in the league five years now, and he's never elevated the level of the Kings' play. That team hasn't improved beyond 29 wins with him.

If the Lakers aren't sold on Okafor, then take Russell or Porzingis. I want no part of Cousins anymore.

Who has Cousins had to play with?? Also, my question is, why is everyone so hung up on Randal?? I think he's good too, but we all know what Boogie brings. Like someone said, if we get the 6th pick and Cousins and part with Randal and the 2nd pick, if we don't do our due diligence, that's when I call Buss out!

 

[trojanfan12]

Who has Cousins had to play with?? Also, my question is, why is everyone so hung up on Randal?? I think he's good too, but we all know what Boogie brings. Like someone said, if we get the 6th pick and Cousins and part with Randal and the 2nd pick, if we don't do our due diligence, that's when I call Buss out!

^^^THIS^^^

We KNOW that Cousins can play. We don't know how good Randle is. Like Retro said, if Cousins continues to develop into a star, the Lakers FO will look like geniuses (especially if they get the #6 too).

If the deal isn't done and Randle isn't as good as we hope or whoever we take at #2 doesn't pan out, then we'll be bashing the FO because they didn't get Cousins when they had a chance.

Of course, if we make the trade and Cousins turns out be Dwightmare2.0, then we'll be bashing them for making the deal.

At the very least, we can credit the FO for exploring all options to improve the team.

 

[Retroram52]

The big deal with Randle Louie is based on the consensus notion that Randle is a superstar in the making. TJF12 is correct that we don't know for sure that this universal prognostication has any guarantee going forward but neither does the notion that Cousin will work out. We have been talent-starved for quite awhile and when we already have a talent like Randle, many folks are not too eager to give him up for the same precarious perception of guy like Cousins.

 

[trojanfan12]

Yea, TJF12, like I stated. Most of this Kobe-Howard II discussion is predicated on the notion that his head-case label is still intact. If they do this deal, which right now is still not going anywhere because the majority Kings owner has put a kabosh on the trigger, and Cousins becomes star material, then the FO and probably Jim Buss will look like geniuses. They only downer is losing a potential superstar-in-the-making like Randle.

I would like to hear Cousins take on being a Laker. Does he WANT to be a Laker? Part of the problem with Dwight was that he was "meh" about being a Laker, thought he knew more than Kobe about being a champion and didn't want to listen to anyone.

If Cousins wants to be a Laker, then perhaps that means he'll be willing to listen and learn from Kobe. The only way I think Kobe and Cousins will have issues is if Cousins behaves like Dwight.

 

[Retroram52]

That's a good angle TJF12. Right now, the impetus for this trade from the Kings side of things is Karl wants him gone. Not much has been reported about what Cousins thinks.

 

[Kold]

Well, Kold, the Magic have officially left the discussion as of today because they believe they are not getting an equitable shake. So this is why Randle is now in the deal. Cousins may be all the things you have stated but the more imposing factor is the reason Karl wants him gone.

Cousins is not exactly a team player and that alone will be in play with Kobe even though Kobe is only going to be around a year. If the Lakers are just going to live with the inevitable friction that is going to occur with Kobe for a year as part of growing pains than it may work but it could also blow-up in their face similar to Howard and Kobe I.

I don't know, I think the Dwight thing went south because he was a goofball, but Cousins is like the polar opposite. I think Kobe would respect him as he has a tude so to speak, ON the court. Now, I can't totally guarantee that they would be able to co-exsist as far as teammates. However, even Kobe and Shaq didn't totally get along, but when the time came, they were ready to get the job done on the court. I'd venture to guess that Kobe would like having Cousins there, but if they don't get along for 1 year, then that's fine with me if they just get it done on the court. Kobe's contract will eventually come off the books, and we'd have Cousins(assuming the trade happens) plus a ton of money to attract free agents

 

[Retroram52]

If this deal finally does go down and we get Cousins and the 6 and lose Randle, then we should take Winslow at 6 and then focus on FAs like Dragic, Love, and Butler as things go forward.

 

[Retroram52]

I agree Kold. It can work if things line up and right now, anything is possible. If the majority owner for the Kings still says no by Thursday, then all of this is moot of course.

 

[Kold]

The Lakers have some veteran players who have proven to not be very good. Does that count?

LOL, well at this point I'm not sure what may or may not be the offer floating around. WOJ is as good as it gets so I'll assume that they still want "proven players" or what not...but that report came before the Randle report came, so at this point it's a big waiting game.

 

[trojanfan12]

That's a good angle TJF12. Right now, the impetus for this trade from the Kings side of things is Karl wants him gone. Not much has been reported about what Cousins thinks.

Yeah, I can't speak for all of us, but I know that for me, a player wanting to be a Laker, says a lot. Not just because I'm a fan, but because I believe that there is a certain amount of pressure to win championships that comes with being a Laker. Dwight never embraced that pressure. If Cousins says he wants to be a Laker, that tells me he's willing to accept the pressure as well.

This is also shaping up to be a classic "coach hates him/FO loves him" standoff. That alone is going to be interesting to watch play out.

 

[Retroram52]

totally. If the owner wins this, then we know that the dysfunctional train wreck that the Kings are and you mentioned previously TJF12 will continued to be confirmed and we get to continue on with re-working our roster.

 

[Kold]

I agree Kold. It can work if things line up and right now, anything is possible. If the majority owner for the Kings still says no by Thursday, then all of this is moot of course.

Yeah, if all else fails, we end up with Okafor or Russell. Either way we win

 

[OutlawImmortal]

The difference between Howard and Cousins is that Cousins actually has moves in the post. His usage rate has been top 10 in the league for the past couple of years, the guy is a flat out beast and at a cheaper price than anyone else at his talent level. If the Lakers get the 6th pick as well it's a no-brainer from my perspective.

 

[ANGELAKERAMS]

Decent?!? He's one of the 3 best centers in the league.

The guy shoots 45% from the field as a center.

Hill shoots better than that.

just cause he's getting 20/10 on a bad Kings team doesn't make him a top 3 center.

not when you are middle of the pack at your position in fg%

Plus, if he is such a great player and a good cap figure as you claim, then why are the Kings so desperate to ship him out? Makes you wonder why they want to rid themselves of a top 3 center as you say.

 

[shopson67]

Who has Cousins had to play with?? Also, my question is, why is everyone so hung up on Randal?? I think he's good too, but we all know what Boogie brings. Like someone said, if we get the 6th pick and Cousins and part with Randal and the 2nd pick, if we don't do our due diligence, that's when I call Buss out!

It's not just about his stats, it's about his laundry list of douchebaggery as well. If he had those stats and a clean slate, it's a different story. He'd be Kevin Love essentially (albeit with a different skill set of course). However, he's worse than Rondo in terms of behavior, and when you pair that up with no history of winning, what is the draw?

 

[OutlawImmortal]

The guy shoots 45% from the field as a center.

Hill shoots better than that.

just cause he's getting 20/10 on a bad Kings team doesn't make him a top 3 center.

not when you are middle of the pack at your position in fg%

Plus, if he is such a great player and a good cap figure as you claim, then why are the Kings so desperate to ship him out? Makes you wonder why they want to rid themselves of a top 3 center as you say.

So DeAndre Jordan is the best Center in the league? Good luck trying to make a 24/12/3/1/1 guy sound bad.

 

[trojanfan12]

The guy shoots 45% from the field as a center.

Hill shoots better than that.

just cause he's getting 20/10 on a bad Kings team doesn't make him a top 3 center.

not when you are middle of the pack at your position in fg%

Plus, if he is such a great player and a good cap figure as you claim, then why are the Kings so desperate to ship him out? Makes you wonder why they want to rid themselves of a top 3 center as you say.

First, it's not just me who thinks he's a top 3 center. That's pretty much the consensus around the league.

As for why the Kings want to ship him out, it's not the Kings, it's Karl. The majority owner doesn't want to trade him and so far, has refused to sign off on any trade involving Cousins. Awhile back, Shaq said that keeping Cousins is their top priority. Karl has resorted to lobbying Vlade to help convince the majority owner to trade him.

The above described dumpster fire explains why Cousins would want out.