As the Los Angeles Lakers regain momentum in the standings, trade speculation continues to hover around a roster that still has clear defensive questions, can Dillon Brooks solve them?
Those concerns were front and center during a recent discussion involving former NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins, who floated a bold idea involving Austin Reaves and Phoenix Suns wing Dillon Brooks.
The Lakers snapped back into rhythm over the weekend with back-to-back wins over the Memphis Grizzlies, capped by a statement performance from Luka Doncic.
Los Angeles improved to 22–11 on the season after Doncic poured in 36 points on Sunday night, knocking down multiple dagger threes late to seal the win. Offensively, the Lakers look dangerous. Defensively, the picture remains far less convincing.
That imbalance sparked a hypothetical posed by Michelle Beadle.
“Phone rings, you’re the front office of the Lakers. We’re going to give you Dillon Brooks, but we like Austin Reaves. Are you taking that?” Beadle asked on FanDuel’s Run It Back.
“In a heartbeat. … Why wouldn’t you do it?” Cousins said.
Cousins added, “He’s a culture changer. He’s a proven winner… Brooks fits exactly what the Lakers need right now. … why wouldn’t you do it?”
Reaves had been enjoying a breakout stretch earlier in the season before suffering an injury that is expected to sideline him for at least a month.
While his scoring punch and secondary playmaking have been valuable, Reaves has not been a solution to the Lakers’ perimeter defensive issues.
Brooks, on the other hand, has built his reputation on the defensive end and has taken a noticeable step forward offensively this season with Phoenix.
His physicality and edge would immediately address a weakness on the Lakers’ roster, even if his past history with the franchise — and with LeBron James in particular — could make for an uncomfortable reunion.
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