Lakers Still Deciding Between DeMarcus Cousins, Meyers Leonard

The Lakers brought in veteran centers DeMarcus Cousins and Meyers Leonard for workouts on Friday, and it now appears they are determining which to sign, per Shams Charania of The Athletic, via FanDuel TV.

“I think the Lakers are looking at which guy they want to sign, how imminent they want to do it,” Charania said.

Coach Darvin Ham addressed the workouts last week.

“They both looked great,” Ham told reporters. “Whether or not we are able to do something with them is a different story. We’re constantly trying to kick the tires on different scenarios, but the first order of business is to get our guys healthy. But definitely, we appreciate them for coming in. They both looked great.”

Cousins, 32, is 6-foot-10 and finished last season with the Nuggets after signing with the Bucks. He has been working out six days a week in Las Vegas in hopes of an NBA return, per Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

Cousins has also spent time with the Clippers, Rockets, Warriors, Pelicans and Kings, where he flourished as a six-time All-Star from 2014-18.

Leonard, 30, is 7-0 and last played in the NBA during in the 2020-21 season, when appeared in three games with the Heat. He played 51 games with Miami the year before that, averaging career-highs of 6.1 points and 5.1 rebounds.

Originally drafted by the Trail Blazers with the No. 11 overall pick in 2012, Leonard spent seven seasons in Portland before being sent to the Heat as part of the multi-team Jimmy Butler deal.

He was traded by the Heat to the Thunder for forward Trevor Ariza in March 2021, then immediately waived.

The Lakers are looking for veteran frontline help to take some of the pressure off LeBron James and Anthony Davis (when healthy).

“I think the Lakers are looking at which guy they want to sign, how imminent they want to do it…” ✍️@ShamsCharania on Meyers Leonard & Boogie Cousins workout with Lakers on #RunItBack with @ChandlerParsons

Full Episode ⬇️https://t.co/5ocLdLICDj pic.twitter.com/Q5dBOHI0qz

— FanDuel TV (@FanDuelTV) January 16, 2023