The Pelicans made a two-year, $40MM offer to DeMarcus Cousins between his Achilles injury in January and the end of the season, Marc Stein of The New York Times states in his latest newsletter. Cousins rejected the offer, and New Orleans’ front office responded by taking it off the table.
Cousins committed to Golden State last night, taking the Warriors’ MLE of $5.3MM for next season. The Lakers had an opportunity to get Cousins for a similar price, Stein adds, but once they passed, it was an easy decision for him to join the Warriors.
The Pelicans hadn’t given up hope of retaining Cousins when free agency began, but the door closed when they signed Julius Randle for $18MM over two years. Stein notes that Anthony Davis played an aggressive role in recruiting Randle to New Orleans.
There’s more Pelicans news to pass along:
- The trade with the Kings that brought Cousins to New Orleans will be remembered as a mistake, according to Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune. The Pelicans gave up two first-round picks in Buddy Hield and a 2017 selection that turned out to be Zach Collins. In exchange, they got just 65 games out of Cousins.
- Rajon Rondo and Cousins both made shrewd business decisions, Duncan adds in the same story. The Lakers gave Rondo more money than the Pelicans were offering, along with the chance to team up with LeBron James. Cousins found a low-stress environment to rehab his injured Achilles while getting an excellent chance to win a ring. The Pelicans also showed they’re not ready to pay the luxury tax, with Randle and Elfrid Payton providing cheaper alternatives to Cousins and Rondo.
- The free agent drama in New Orleans could be repeated next summer, writes Scott Kushner of The Advocate. The Pelicans took a little bit of the sting out of losing Cousins and Rondo by agreeing to deals with Randle and Payton. However, Randle can opt out after one season and Payton is only signed for a year. Nikola Mirotic, who fit well alongside Davis after arriving from the Bulls in a midseason trade, will also be a free agent.
I hope cousins career is over
He signed a contract to play in the 2018-19 season. He won’t be retiring just yet.
I hope he hopes your career is over.
hunthutch , like him or not that’s kind of a douche thing to say.
Cousins ruptured his achilles tendon, not his ACL. This report is wrong. ACL is no big deal. Achilles is. There’s every chance he’s never the same again. Most guys aren’t after an achilles rupture.
You’re so right. No basketball player has come back from this and been anything better than 75% of what they were before, and rarely did they stay healthy after.
“The Lakers had an opportunity to get Cousins for a similar price, Stein adds, but once they passed, it was an easy decision for him to join the Warriors…”
I wonder if they are negotiating some deals to take on salary or something. Otherwise, this feels sort of silly not to get him and let him rehab until the end of January all while getting to see what LA is about. Would have been a cheap tryout really.
Totally agreed. If the information on the Lakers is true, Magic and Pelinka drop the ball on this one. They would have had the chance to go above the salary cap to sign him. Horrible move!!!
Pelicans: go big or go home. Losers.
IT will be sitting on a pillow and driving his Brinks truck to the meeting. He is tough as nails and will keep you in any game. Fun to watch!
Sooooo, he essentially cost the same as Lance Stephenson?
Hunthutch I hope your life is over too… Man you are so cold, is only a game, he made the right decision, a lot smarter than to keep in a organization that is gonna keep failing year after year because they are not committed to win. AD will have to go soon too… NOLA is a great city, way better than the Bay Area but… the Pels suck man. How salty can anyone be to wish harm on another human being, specially an outstanding guy like DMC, that just proves how right his decision is by your ignorance.
I agree with everything you said except for the fact that you think New Orleans is a better place then the Bay Area! Lol now that’s just comedy, must’ve never been to the Bay