Lakers Receive DeMarcus Cousins Disabled-Player Exception

The Los Angeles Lakers are ready to win a title this season, and let’s just say they have a really good chance to make the NBA Finals. LeBron James is healthy and sharp, and Anthony Davis fits well in the team. What’s better than playing in the big city? This is great news for everyone interested in winning a championship. Los Angeles can offer a lot to any player who gets bought out this season. The team lost DeMarcus Cousins to a torn ACL, and that gives a perfect change to other players.

Shams Charania of The Athletic has more on the subject.

“The Lakers have been granted a disabled player exception worth $1.75M from the NBA for the expected season-ending ACL injury to DeMarcus Cousins, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. It expires on March 10, 2020.”

The exception has little value at the moment, and it’s probably worth less than the minimum salary a player with four year experience would earn for a full-season.

Minimum-salary and mid-level exceptions drop in the regular season, and that doesn’t apply to this exception.

On March 1, an NBA team with a minimum slot available can provide a free agent just between $233,459 and $666,546, and the amount depends on the player’s experience. The Lakers are able to offer $1.75 and that says pretty much everything you should know for the team at this moment.

An NBA-appointed doctor confirmed that DeMarcus Cousins is “substantially more likely than not” to be out through June 15. If you take this into consideration, you’d realize that the Lakers may open a roster spot by waiving the injured player who is signed to a one-year deal. Remember that Cousins is facing a domestic-violence charge?

“Cousins and his ex-girlfriend reportedly argued about whether their son would attend his wedding,” Dan Feldman reports. “At one point in a call she claims was between her and Cousins, the voice on the other end said, ‘I’m going to make sure I put a bullet in your f—ing head.’”

If Cousins returns earlier than expected, he may play, whether or not the team uses this exception.