There was a time when Los Angeles Lakers center DeMarcus Cousins was viewed as one of the best players in all of basketball. He was a 28 and 12 guy who could beat you up in the post, step out and make three-pointers and create for his teammates.

But now, Cousins has reached a point where he has had to settle for one-year deals two offseasons in a row, and I'm not sure that is something any of us ever expected from the big man.

Injuries have derailed Cousins, as a torn Achilles knocked him out of the 2017-18 campaign and resulted in him having to settle for a one-year contract with the Golden State Warriors. Then, in these past playoffs, Cousins suffered a torn quad.

His attitude issues have only compounded the lack of interest in him around the league, and this summer, Cousins agreed to another one-year pact, this time with the Lakers.

So, just how will Cousins fit in LA?

DeMarcus Cousins
CP

Well, he will be joining a Lakers team that includes LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and given that Los Angeles also re-signed JaVale McGee, the frontcourt will be a bit crowded.

Just how the Lakers plan to use Cousins remains to be seen. Will he start? Will he come off the bench? It should be interesting.

But can the 28-year-old get back to relevance?

The fact of the matter is we really don't know where Cousins is physically at the moment, and while he posted solid numbers in limited action with the Warriors this season, he just didn't look right.

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Now, it's entirely possible that Cousins just needed to shake off the rust and that he will be better next season, but we also have to remember that the prognosis from Achilles tears is generally not great. Usually, it's a death sentence for basketball players, and Cousins is going to have to be an exception to that rule if he wants to win everyone over again.

One thing is for sure: he will be playing for a contending team for the second straight year, as the Lakers should be one of the top teams in the league, even if their roster is somewhat flawed. A LeBron and AD tandem is no joke, and Danny Green will help space the floor.

Anthony Davis, Lakers
ClutchPoints

Really, Cousins won't be asked to be a No. 1 or 2 option, as James and Davis obviously have that down. Heck, Kyle Kuzma will probably be the No. 3, so Cousins may very well end up being the No. 4, much like he was in Golden State.

And if that ends up being the case, Cousins could flourish, as Frank Vogel could limit his minutes and use him in bursts in order to keep him fresh and maximize his efficiency.

Perhaps “relevance” is now taking on a different meaning for Cousins. The days of him being a top player seem to be over, and it would be pretty surprising to ever see him averaging 25 and 12 ever again. But if he can find his niche as a lesser option on a contender and as a guy who can merely play his role on both ends of the floor and represent an X-factor, then Cousins will absolutely have a place in this league for the foreseeable future.

It may not be the future Cousins envisioned, but it may be the one he needs to accept.