Free agent center DeMarcus Cousins has agreed to sign with the Guaynabo Mets, a team in the Puerto Rican league, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
As Wojnarowski explains, Cousins is still hoping to return to the NBA, but will spend the spring in Puero Rico in the hopes of showing that he still has plenty left in the tank. He reportedly turned down overtures from Taiwanese teams in the fall.
A four-time All-Star, Cousins has career averages of 19.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, but has been slowed in recent years by a series of leg injuries. He has bounced around the NBA during that time, playing for multiple teams in 2020/21 and again in ’21/22. The big man hasn’t been on a roster at all this season, despite working out for the Lakers in January.
Cousins, 32, averaged 9.0 PPG and 5.6 RPG in 48 appearances (15.0 MPG) last season for the Nuggets and Bucks and said in the fall that he believes he still has plenty to contribute to an NBA team. He stated more recently that he has had trouble getting a “real answer” for why he has remained unsigned all season.
The regular season schedule for Puerto Rico’s Baloncesto Superior Nacional ends in June and last year’s playoffs concluded in August, so Cousins would be able to finish the season with the Mets even if he gets an invite to an NBA training camp. He’ll have some work to do to help get his new team out of an early-season hole — the Mets are just 1-8 so far this spring.
Funny timing on this announcement, after I posted this morning that Cousins, Willie Cauley-Stein and John Wall needed to start looking overseas. Nothing happening now for them in the NBA – the post-season rosters are set.
“He has had trouble getting a “real answer” for why he has remained unsigned all season.” – There has been too much about him in the media about him not being a team player, being selfish, and so forth. I’m sure there is even more to it than that. Maybe teams are being polite to his agent or something.
I don’t look for Cousins to make it back to the NBA. It does seem unlikely at this point in his career. I wish him the best.
Should never of left sac
The grass wasn’t greener or any better
Humacao!!!