Lakers Rumors: Could Another (Technical) Former 2020 Lakers Center Join Dwight Howard In Taiwan?

How much longer before Shaq reignites his career in Taiwan?

Another former 2019-20 Los Angeles Lakers center could follow the lead of Dwight Howard in heading to Taiwan to continue his pro basketball career.

Four-time All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins is reportedly in talks to play for a club in Taiwan's T1 League, per Duncan DeAeth of Taiwan News. DeAeth adds that Boogie has been linked to a team in southern Taiwan, which if true narrows down the candidates to the Tainan TSG Ghosthawks and the Kaohsiung Aquas.

Howard is currently playing (and dominating) for the T1 League's Taoyuan Leopards. In just his first game with his new franchise, Howard scored 38 points, pulled down 25 rebounds, dished out nine dimes, and stuffed four blocks. If he keeps this production level up, the eight-time All-Star could latch on with an NBA franchise in time for the playoffs. Perhaps his one-time (sort-of) "teammate" is hoping to find similar success overseas.

Cousins joined the Lakers during the team's first season with Boogie's former New Orleans Pelicans teammate, Anthony Davis, in 2019-20. He unfortunately tore his left ACL during an August pickup game and missed the entire season. 

With Boogie out for the long haul, the NBA gave the Lakers a $1.75 million disabled player exception. L.A. cut Cousins in February 2020, and the team used the exception to bring in clutch reserve power forward Markieff Morris. Cousins's name is engraved on the team's 2020 championship rings, one of which was later set to be bequeathed to Cousins the next season, after he had signed on with the Houston Rockets.

Last year, Cousins split his time last season as a reserve for the Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets in the 2021-22 season, averaging nine points, 5.6 rebounds and 0.4 blocks a night. He was a four-time All-Star while with the Pelicans and Sacramento Kings, before his career was forever altered by a January 2018 left Achilles tear.