After their highly publicized pursuit of Kawhi Leonard didn’t end how they would’ve liked, the Los Angeles Lakers are now after a number of veteran free agents. Point guard remains the biggest positional need for the Lakers, but they recently added one of the few serviceable options left available on the market.
According to Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes, the Lakers have agreed to a two-year, $6 million contract with former Warriors guard Quinn Cook.
Free agent guard Quinn Cook has reached an agreement with the Los Angeles Lakers on a two-year, $6 million deal, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 6, 2019
While Quinn Cook wasn’t expected to carry much of the offensive burden on a stacked Warriors roster, things could certainly be different in LA. Cook is currently the only point guard under contract with the Lakers, though that could change rather quickly if they pursue Rajon Rondo as is expected.
Still, Cook will be a big part of a depleted guard rotation in Los Angeles next season. Of course, LA traded away Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart to acquire Anthony Davis and now, Cook joins fellow recent signees Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Troy Daniels in the Lakers’ backcourt.
It makes sense for the Lakers to add Cook, especially considering his potential fit with LeBron James. James is accustomed to having the ball in his hands and being surrounded by shooters, and Cook has certainly proved himself to be a quality marksman. The Duke product shot 40.5% from three-point range last season and should get even more opportunities with the Lakers.
Still, while Cook has shown improvements in recent years, it’s hard to envision him being the full-time starter for the Lakers next season. Expect plenty of more moves from Rob Pelinka and Co. as the Lakers scramble to fill out their roster after coming up short in the Kawhi Leonard sweepstakes.
