DeMarcus Cousins links to Lakers won’t just go away

The Sacramento Kings finally traded DeMarcus Cousins—but the Los Angeles Lakers will keep hanging around in the conversation.

Cousins has been linked to the Lakers for years. He seemed like a star who wanted to move to a major market and the Lakers love their superstars no matter how much it costs to get them in town.

Except times keep changing.

Cousins just landed with the New Orleans Pelicans. And the Lakers? They didn’t want to give up on their young players to swing a deal, per ESPN:

The Los Angeles Lakers also pursued Cousins in recent days but felt Sacramento’s asking price was too high, sources told Shelburne.

Talks quickly fizzled, according to Shelburne, once the Kings informed the Lakers that they weren’t interested unless they would receive 2016 No. 2 overall pick Brandon Ingram as part of a Cousins deal.

It’s legitimately a staggering revelation—and it confirms the Lakers have learned from past mistakes such as Dwight Howard and want to build a successful roster through smart draft picks.

But chatter about Cousins and the Lakers won’t just go away because of this, especially not with Cousins’ hitting the free-agent market soon.

Right on cue, Silver Screen and Roll recorded an apparent nugget from reporter Adrian Wojnarowski, who suggested Cousins might consider the Lakers in free agency:

Jarinn Akana and Dan Fegan, who represent Cousins, they did their job here, which was to — and this also complicated what they could get in a trade — Jarinn came out publicly last night and privately they told teams, ‘If you trade for Cousins, we’re telling you, he may not stay. He may nor re-sign with you. The Lakers are going to have a lot of cap space again potentially in a couple years. He could go to L.A. as a free agent. He might not stay in New Orleans or he might not stay in Phoenix or anywhere else…’

So no, Cousins-Lakers talk won’t fizzle out now.

Cousins next to Anthony Davis could easily make the Pelicans a powerhouse. It’s a big market and a fun team. If the team builds around them well, contention isn’t out of the question.

But clearly the Lakers will keep hovering in the background of all this. Better to get used to it than think it will go away.