Brandon Dill/Associated Press
Before agreeing to join the Golden State Warriors, DeMarcus Cousins gave the Los Angeles Lakers an opportunity to sign him.
Per Marc Stein of the New York Times, the All-Star center presented the Lakers with a chance to add him at a salary similar to the $5.3 mid-level exception he received from Golden State, but they decided to go in a different direction.
ESPN's Marc J. Spears reported the Lakers put in a call to Cousins when free agency began and he was expected to have a meeting with the team at some point.
That was before LeBron James agreed to sign with the Lakers on Sunday. Since the four-time NBA MVP made his decision, Los Angeles' front office has been adding players mostly on one-year deals, including Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and JaVale McGee.
Cousins is working his way back from a ruptured Achilles suffered during a Jan. 26 game against the Houston Rockets. He told Spears after agreeing to sign with the Warriors that his goal is to be back by the start of training camp.
When healthy last season, Cousins averaged 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 48 games for the New Orleans Pelicans.