DeMarcus Cousins reportedly tears ACL, but Lakers' projections don't change much

The Los Angeles Lakers were set to have a scary frontcourt of All-Stars in forwards LeBron James and Anthony Davis and center DeMarcus Cousins for the 2019-20 NBA season, but subtract the suddenly injury-hexed Cousins as he has apparently torn an ACL during workouts, which obviously will cause him to miss the season. The 29-year-old four-time All-Star was working out in Las Vegas on Monday when he had to leave the court after bumping knees with another player.

Cousins has been more snake-bitten the past two seasons than anyone in the NBA from an injury perspective. He was having a spectacular season in 2017-18 – and was arguably the NBA's best center -- with Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans when Cousins went down with an Achilles tear.

That essentially ended Cousins' chances of a big-money free-agent deal following that season, so he signed a one-year contract for $5 million with the Golden State Warriors. He was limited to 30 regular-season games while working his way back from the Achilles tear, then tore a quad muscle early in the playoffs. He clearly wasn't the same guy when he returned in the NBA Finals against Toronto.

All those injuries scared off suitors again this offseason, so Cousins signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Lakers in July to play alongside LeBron and Davis and possibly finally win a ring. Now the Lakers are in a bind because they have no salary-cap space. JaVale McGee is the only other legitimate center on the roster. Davis can play there but is better suited at power forward.

On the NBA futures odds at Westgate in Las Vegas, the Lakers were +400 second-favorites to win the 2020 NBA title. SportsLine projections actually don't see this hurting the Lakers much. They slip from 53 regular-season wins to 52.3 and still project as the West's No. 2 seed. Their odds of winning an NBA title do drop from 16.0 percent to 14.7.