DeMarcus Cousins Calls for Lakers to Trade Austin Reaves to Suns for 'Culture Changer'

When James was able to return, the Lakers then lost Reaves to multiple injuries and he is currently sidelined with a calf strain that is expected to sidelined him for at least three more weeks.

Despite this, the Lakers have been able to maintain one of the top spots in the West, though they have been inconsistent this season outside of their stars and defense has been a key issue for them.

Because of this, Los Angeles may be open to making some moves ahead of the trade deadline in February and a former Sacramento Kings star recently called for them to make a move involving Reaves.

DeMarcus Cousins Urges Lakers to Swap Austin Reaves for Suns' Dillon Brooks

On Monday, former Kings star DeMarcus Cousins called for the Lakers to trade Reaves to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Dillon Brooks to help change their culture on FanDuel’s “Run It Back.”

“He’s a culture changer. He’s a proven winner,” Cousins said about Brooks. “We talk about all the glaring holes when it comes to this Lakers team, he fits exactly what they need right now. I mean, you getting a two-way player compared to a one-sided player, why wouldn’t you do it?”

This is a bold take by Cousins, though swapping Reaves for Brooks could be a move that makes the Lakers into a championship contender this season.

Why This Trade Could Work for Lakers

Of course, Brooks is a great leader who would provide Los Angeles with a reliable scorer and defender who would fill some glaring holes in the Lakers’ roster while also potentially change their culture, which could help them later down the road heading towards the playoffs.

This season, the 29-year-old forward is averaging 21.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 46.1% from the field and 34.3% from three.

While trading for Brooks could be a solid move for the Suns to make, the Lakers be unwilling to move on from Reaves ahead of the trade deadline, though he is set to be an unrestricted free agent after the season and there are rumors about him potentially leaving.

Because of this, along with his current injury, the Lakers could decide to move the 27-year-old guard to avoid losing him for nothing in free agency this upcoming offseason.

If that is the case, Phoenix may show interest in pairing him alongside Devin Booker in the backcourt, though it is likely that Los Angeles will require the Suns to add more alongside Brooks in a potential deal.

Despite this, both sides may be unwilling to make this trade as they both try to compete for a top seed in the West this season as they could look elsewhere to bolster their roster, though adding Brooks could be a key move for the Lakers to make amid their recent struggles.