NBA Rumors: DeMarcus Cousins Likely To Return To LA Lakers Roster After Hiatus, Could Replace Quinn Cook

Afterall, DeMarcus Cousins might still end up playing for the Los Angeles Lakers this season. A rumor has it that the former All-Star is likely to return to the team's roster when the NBA lifts its suspension that is caused by the Coronavirus.

The former Kentucky Wildcat was poised to make his Laker debut sometime in the postseason coming from a horrific ACL injury during the offseason. Instead, he was waived by the team to make room for Markieff Morris, who was released by the Detroit Pistons. There had been speculation, though, that Cousins agreed informally with the Lakers front office to re-sign in the upcoming offseason.

But it looks like both parties need not wait much longer.

Daniel Preciado of Fansided's Lake Show Life served an interesting question: "With the season being suspended and set to start up again in June at the earliest, could DeMarcus Cousins become a rotation option for the Los Angeles Lakers down the stretch and into the playoffs?"

The Lakers were having a stellar season when the league announced the emergency hiatus. They are the best team in the West with a 49-14 record and have already clinched a playoff spot - a first in seven years.

However, calling Boogie's services back would come at an expense for the active Laker roster.

The squad has established a rock-solid frontcourt rotation with Javale McGee and Dwight Howard providing potent support for Anthony Davis. Perhaps, Cousins could rejoin the party, and that most likely puts Quinn Cook - a third-stringer point guard - in serious jeopardy.

"If the Lakers did decide to remove the last man on their roster in favor of Cousins, the likeliest casualty would be point guard Quinn Cook," Preciado wrote. "Cook is simply expendable with the Lakers’ championship aspirations in mind, not to mention that Cousins is a clear upgrade over Cook despite his positional repetitiveness on the roster."