2018 NBA free agency rumors: DeMarcus Cousins will meet with Lakers, Pelicans 'soon'

DeMarcus Cousins is coming off a major injury; would either the Lakers or Pels take the gamble?

The Lakers have been adamant about signing stars in this free agency period. They've been strongly connected to LeBron James so far, but there's another player they could possibly make a run at: DeMarcus Cousins. The big man is coming off a solid year with the Pelicans that had a tragic ending.

Cousins and the Pelicans seemed destined for the playoffs, but in January he had what is considered by many to be the NBA's most devastating injury. Cousins blew out his Achilles, sidelining him for the season, and putting into question his effectiveness for the future. Players don't easily come back from this kind of injury, especially big men, but Cousins will try to do just that.

Cousins will need to find a team that's willing to take a risk on him for a lot of money. The Lakers could maybe be that team. According to Marc Spears of The Undefeated, both the Pelicans and Lakers have scheduled meetings with Cousins.

Would the Lakers take a chance on Cousins? He would be an interesting option for the Lakers, and at his best, he's arguably the best big man in the NBA, thanks to his varied skillset, especially on offense. However. with such a devastating injury, any contract he signs could prove to be harmful to the Lakers' long-term goals. That's why it would need to be a short-term deal as mentioned in the report.

The Pelicans, on the other hand, will need to enter this meeting with Cousins asking themselves a few questions. Do they believe that Cousins can play like he did before the Achilles injury, and is that worth the money he'll be asking for? New Orleans went on an incredible second half run without Cousins. Nobody in the Pelicans organization believes they're better without Cousins, but they have to know they can still find success if he walks.

The Lakers swung out on Paul George, and still don't know the status of James. This leaves Cousins as potentially the biggest name available. The Lakers want stars, but how much money are they willing to put out to maybe get Cousins at full strength? Is it enough to steal him from the Pelicans?