Center DeMarcus Cousins. Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Flailing Lakers could use hardship to sign DeMarcus Cousins

By Jamie Capria | Last updated 1/11/23

Injuries to Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves, Lonnie Walker IV and Troy Brown Jr. have the Lakers in position to apply for a hardship exception, a move that would grant a temporary roster spot.

The Lakers would need 4 players to miss 3 games before hardship eligibility. Clock would start tonight since Reaves/Brown played last game - so after Monday's game vs. Nuggets https://t.co/ncYHu1qQbX
— Eric Pincus (@EricPincus) January 6, 2023

Veteran DeMarcus Cousins, who is set to work out for the Lakers this week, could be the beneficiary. The Lakers have already signed Sterling Brown to a 10-day contract and seem primed to offer Cousins a 10-day contract as well if his workout goes well.

Per a report by Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes, Cousins has been working out in Vegas six days a week.

This all comes amid the backdrop of LeBron James' mounting frustration with the team's struggles to win games.

LeBron says he still wants to win championships: "I don't wanna finish my career playing at this level from a team aspect. I still want to compete for championships. I know what I can bring to any ball club with the right pieces."
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) December 29, 2022

LeBron: "I wanna win and give myself a chance to win and still compete for championships. That's always been my passion...my goal. Once you get there and know how to get there, playing basketball at this level just to be playing basketball is just not in my DNA anymore."
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) December 29, 2022

During a recent episode of "The Crossover" podcast, Sports Illustrated’s Howard Beck dropped a bombshell that the Lakers front office won't trade draft picks to put pieces around James before this month’s trade deadline.

“And I’ve heard rumblings — and they’re only rumblings, so I don’t want people to go too far with this or go crazy with the aggregation — but a couple people around the league have told me in recent weeks that they believe that the front office has essentially been told not to trade the picks," Beck said.

If true, this also signals that the Lakers are not confident in their ability to win now.

If the Lakers hold onto their draft picks, they won’t be making any big splashes before the trade deadline. Moves like signing Cousins could be the extent of the team's maneuvering, despite the concerns of LeBron.

More must-reads: