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NBA Rumors: Lakers would trade D’Angelo Russell for DeMarcus Cousins

By Jack Crosby

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The Los Angeles Lakers would apparently have no problem dealing their No. 2 overall pick for DeMarcus Cousins

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Thursday, with the No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers took dynamic point guard D’Angelo Russell from Ohio State, a move that has drawn some rave reviews. Passing up a big man in Jahlil Okafor for his services, you would think the Lakers got exactly who they wanted and would never part ways with their future star.

Well, that’s apparently not the case.

If you remember, last week there were some heavy rumblings that the Lakers were involved in some talks with the Sacramento Kings about DeMarcus Cousins, although a deal never ended up taking place on draft night. According to the Los Angeles Daily News, however, the Lakers are still interested in getting Cousins, and would have no problem parting ways with Russell to make that happen.

"You shortcut it at your peril, even if the Lakers were willing to trade their No. 2 pick for Sacramento’s even-higher-maintenance-than-Dwight-Howard DeMarcus Cousins … and would send Russell up there tomorrow if that would do it, a league source told me."

Now something like this is probably not going to happen anytime soon, although it’s interesting to learn that they’d be willing to get rid of a prospect the likes of Russell to get Cousins. Especially when you remember that they’re going to be in the running to get LaMarcus Aldridge in free agency this summer, you have to question what the thought process is here. You get Aldridge to work the inside and you get to keep Russell in the process.

But it sure seems that the Lakers really have a longing for Cousins, not matter what it takes. If it takes giving up the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, they’ll do it.

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