NBA: Lakers Coach Feels DeMarcus Cousins Can Recall Old Dominant Form In Hollywood

As far as the Los Angeles Lakers are concerned, all the focus has been on the impending partnership between LeBron James and Anthony Davis. However, they do have a stellar crew as well who will need to do their part for the 2019-20 NBA season. One player that will be closely monitored is DeMarcus Cousins.

After proving to everyone that he was one of the future big stars in the NBA, Cousins' road towards success suffered a blow when the 5th overall pick of the 2010 NBA Draft went down with a torn left Achilles with the New Orleans Pelicans. This injury cost him a lot, including a potential max salary deal for the 2018-19 NBA season. Instead, the four-time NBA All-Star settled for a $5.3 million deal with the Golden State Warriors which most saw was a way for him to at least win an NBA ring and then worry about big money later.

Though he returned for the Dubs last season, further injuries hampered Cousins' road to recovery. And while he had his moments in the last NBA Finals, it remains that he is not yet at 100-percent health. Now, he gets another chance to show he can be the same dominant big man he once was with the Lakers and possibly have another crack at snagging an NBA title.

As things stand right now, that will depend on his health and how well he can fit in the system of head coach Frank Vogel. Speaking to The Los Angeles Times, the first-year Lakers head coach said he is confident that Cousins can be the powerful and dominant big man he once was.

“The first year you’re out. You don’t play. You’re not even in uniform. I mean, you’re just not even in uniform. Year 2, you’re in uniform, but you’re not quite yourself the entire year. Gordon Hayward saw it this year. It takes, to me, a full second year to regain all of your rhythm, timing and explosiveness, and quickness. It just takes time,” said Vogel in that interview.

There is no denying that with Cousins, the Lakers have a fearsome frontline heading into the 2019-20 NBA season. He has played with Davis with the Pelicans and both are looking forward to partnering once more alongside James and other familiar names like Danny Green and Avery Bradley. Much of this was covered in a previous post.

On paper, the Lakers look good. But all that is thrown out the window once the NBA regular season kicks off. Cousins has a golden chance to recalibrate his career and point it to the right path. It all depends on his health and how he manages to fit into the system Vogel plans to use.