Lakers pivot, add five in free agency
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers missed out on the free-agent sweepstakes for Kawhi Leonard, but they pivoted in a big way Saturday by surrounding newcomer Anthony Davis with familiar faces.
The Lakers agreed to terms with two players who played with Davis on the New Orleans Pelicans: DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo.
The trio also has ties because all three played their college basketball at Kentucky.
Cousins agreed to a oneyear deal, the terms of which are unclear. He spent last season on a one-year deal with the Golden State Warriors as he recovered from an Achilles tear he suffered the year before.
Cousins didn’t play until mid-January and started in all 30 games he played for the Warriors. Cousins also missed a significant portion of the playoffs this spring with a torn quadriceps muscle.
His history with Davis dates to February 2016, the day Cousins played in the All-Star game representing the Sacramento Kings and was traded to the Pelicans after the game. He and Davis spent a season and a half together.
Before Cousins’ Achilles tendon injury, many people thought he was having his best season, averaging 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.6 blocked shots during his 48 games.
Rondo returns after spending last season with the Lakers. Though he had two injuries that kept him out for an extended period of time, Rondo was seen as a calming veteran presence for a young Lakers team. LeBron James often raved about his basketball intelligence.
Rondo will sign a two-year deal for the veteran’s minimum after playing on a oneyear deal last season.
The Lakers also reached agreements with forward Danny Green, guard Quinn Cook and center JaVale McGee.
Green announced that he is signing a two-year, $30 million deal with the Lakers, meaning he, too, is leaving Toronto.
“Kawhi has made his decision. Seems like the announcement is out,” Green said in a video he posted to his social media accounts.
“It’s time for me to make my announcement. I will be teaming up with new teammates in LA, the Los Angeles Lakers.”
Green said he enjoyed Toronto and that it was unfortunate how free agency turned out for that city, the Raptors and for Canada.
“LA, here I come,” Green said.
Cook and the Lakers agreed to a two-year, $6 million deal; McGee will get a two-year contract for $8.5 million, according to people with knowledge of the deal who were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
Cook gives the Lakers more firepower off the bench. The 6-2 guard won an NBA championship with the Warriors in 2018.
In 74 games with the Warriors last season, he averaged 6.9 points and shot 46.5% from the field, and 40.5% from three-point range. He has made 41.8% of his three-pointers over a three-year career.