DeMarcus Cousins is in a state of happiness after signing with Golden State and the 27-year-old feels he’ll return to being one of the top big men in the league once he recovers from the Achilles injury that sidelined him last season.
“My expectations, I plan on coming back and being the same dominant player I was, even better actually,” Cousins said (via Mark Medina of the Bay Area News Group). “Nothing will change.”
One thing that everyone hopes will change is Cousins making it to the postseason. He has yet to enter a playoff game during his eight-year career. GM Bob Myers reportedly told the big man that he deserves to play in the NBA’s second season when the two spoke prior to Cousins signing and the Warriors plan on monitoring his recovery to ensure he’s fully healthy once mid-April rolls around.
“Who knows what time,” Myers said about when Cousins will return to the court. “But certainly we’ll have a few months, if not more, before the playoffs to get him acclimated with what we do and for him to get comfortable. So the goal is to have as much time as we can without rushing him back. We don’t need to throw him out there.”
Here’s more from Golden State:
- The Warriors can afford to wait for Cousins until after the season start and even past the 2018 calendar year in order to put him in the best position to succeed, Medina adds in the same piece. “I have to be smart about it. I’m in a unique situation as well where I’m not needed right away,” Cousins said. “Time is kind of on my side so I have a chance to get to 100 percent. When I feel I’m at that point, I’ll make the return.”
- Some players called Cousins after hearing the news of him signing with the Warriors and attempted to change his mind, Chris Haynes of ESPN.com relays. CJ McCollum was one of the players who reached out to see what was going with Cousins’ decision.
- Draymond Green made the worst free agency pitch to bring Cousins aboard, according to the big man.“He was like, ‘Cous, I’m pretty sure me and you are going to fight,'” Cousin said of his interaction with Green (via Haynes in the same piece). “I’m like, ‘Draymond, Come on. Whoa. Whoa.’ But Draymond, that’s my guy. I respect him as a player, I respect him as a competitor. He’s one of the top in this business and just his approach to every game, I want that guy on my team every day. So, we talked, we kind of communicated about what we both wanted, which was winning games.”
- Cousins is using his one-year pact with the Warriors as a way to rehab his value with the hopes of landing a bigger deal next offseason, Anthony Slater of The Athletic writes. Slater notes that Golden State holds most of the power in the arrangement, having the ability to further tarnish Cousins’ reputation, but also adds that both sides are “openly comfortable” with the partnership.
If Cousins wanted to gain more value, he chose the wrong team, as I doubt GSW will play him over Iggy and the death lineup. He might not even average 25 min per night.
Uh guy, look at the different lineups the warriors used and the minutes they used them. Cousins will see as much time as his body and play allows for. The warriors were using like 8 different guys in a rotation at the 5 that cousins can take over for. The warriors are the absolute perfect team and situation for Demarcus.
Pretty much this. ^
Exactly!! Basically, once Cousins is healthy, you just imagine taking every meaningful minute you saw from McGee, Bell, and Looney, and give the vast majority of those minutes to Cousins, with Bell still getting some run to continue developing..
Or they will just create a new-look death line-up with Curry, Klay, Durant, Draymond, and then Cousins..Which that will also slide Draymond to his more natural fit as a 4, and they can run the offense through any one of those 5 guys..
You know how dangerous a line-up is when you can legitimately run your line-up through all 5 players at an all-star level!?! Just unheard of, and never seen before…unless your familiar with playing 2K..lol
That’s not a ‘Death’ lineup, that’s their starting 5!
He’s damn near guaranteed an NBA title. To be like juwan Howard to be a filler in blowouts. Only hell get more minutes. He’ll start a few possibly.
Durant ain’t leaving. Klay Thompson will eventually sign. Long term. Curry is signed long term. Durant keeps doing. 1 +1 deals. He should just sign for 4 years and 145mm.
This is the perfect move for Cousins. He’s going somewhere he doesn’t have to be the guy. He can chill and let the other guys do what they do. He doesn’t need to overwork his body and even if he plays 20-25 mins a game what does it matter?? I think he was smart with this move. Go somewhere he can slowly build his body back up and knock off some rust. He won’t get the same kind of deal he was once seeking but he’ll get paid regardless.
Hate the warriors all you want but the commissioner has no say in signings he can veto trades but signings are fair game as long as you have the money…….
He shouldn’t be able to veto trades. If he’s not the owner he should zero say. It goes back to CP3 going to the LA. Stern vetoes a trade that makes both teams good. He accepts a trade instead that handicaps the pelicans/Hornets for 3+ years.
It’s all about the ring! Get some boogie!
Would have liked to see Cousins join a squad that takes down the Warriors instead of further powering them, but this is the move to prove your value for next year.
Great move for DMC to show he is a really smart guy.