DeMarcus Cousins would trade Austin Reaves for Dillon Brooks in a heartbeat
The The Los Angeles Lakers are back at the track over the weekend with two straight wins via the Memphis Grizzlies. Sunday night marked a return to form for Luka Doncic, who scored 36 points, including several dagger 3-pointers down the stretch, to push Los Angeles’ record to 22-11 on the season.
Still, questions remain about the Lakers’ defense, or lack thereof, with the team not boasting much in the way of perimeter defense this year.
recently, DeMarcus Cousins had an idea for the Lakers that would see them do business with the division rival Phoenix Suns.
“Ring the phone, you’re the Lakers’ front office. We’ll give it to you.” Dillon Brooksbut we love Austin Reaves. Are you taking that?” asked Michelle Biddle of FanDuel’s “Run It Back.”
“In a moment. … Why don’t you do it?” Cousins said.
Reaves has had an epic start to the season, but recently suffered an injury that will keep him sidelined for at least a month. While he certainly provided some firepower for the Lakers, he didn’t do much to alleviate concerns about their defense.
Brooks, meanwhile, has long been known as a strong defensive player, and enjoyed a breakthrough offensive season this year for the Suns. While his history with the Lakers, and especially with LeBron James, could make him somewhat awkward in the locker room, in a vacuum, Brooks’ skill set could make more sense for this Lakers team than what Reaves provides, who can sometimes become redundant with James and Doncic in the mix.
At this point, it remains unclear what moves Rob Pelinka may make as the trade deadline approaches.
Either way, the Lakers will next take the floor on Tuesday night against the New Orleans Pelicans on the road.
2026-01-05 17:40:00
