DeMarcus Cousins to join Warriors and Rajon Rondo to sign with Lakers, reports say
The Pelicans' DeMarcus Cousins during the second half against the Knicks on Jan. 14. Credit: AP / Seth Wenig
The competition is already getting nasty between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers.
A day after LeBron James announced he was headed to Los Angeles, multiple reports are saying that the Lakers have signed Rajon Rondo to a one-year, $9-million contract.
Not to be outdone, the defending champion Warriors signed DeMarcus Cousins to a one-year deal, using the $5.3- million mid-level exception, according to multiple reports.
The Cousins signing is a stunner in that it possibly gives the defending NBA champs an elite center to go with what is already one of the most talented collection of players in NBA history.
Cousins, a six-time All-Star, averaged 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.6 steals in 48 games this season. It is thought he would have received a max contract this offseason if he hadn’t torn his ACL at the end of January and missed the rest of the season. No one is quite sure when Cousins will be back next season or what exactly his health will be, but the upside of the signing is tremendous.
Rondo, a pass-first point guard, could possibly beat out Lonzo Ball for the starting job. Last year, the 32-year-old averaged 8.3 points and 8.2 assists with the Pelicans.
JaVale McGee will join Rondo. The former Warriors center has agreed to a one-year deal worth just under $2.4 million.
Barbara Barker is an award-winning columnist and features writer in the sports department at Newsday. She has covered sports in New York for more than 20 years.
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