DeMarcus Cousins‘ NBA career has been hijacked by an Achilles injury that he suffered during his tenure with the New Orleans Pelicans. Cousins was arguably the best center in the entire league and was well on his way to a massive contract from some team in the league.
Then he tore his Achilles in January 2017. He got a one-year contract from the Golden State Warriors for the following season and appeared in some late-season games and playoff games, showing flashes of the old Boogie but not completely putting it all together.
He then signed another one-year ‘prove-it’ contract with the Los Angeles Lakers and the idea of Cousins alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis was exciting. However, the injury bug caught back up to Cousins and he tore his ACL in a Las Vegas workout prior to the season.
There were hopes that Cousins could come back late in the year or in the playoffs but that ultimately was not meant to be. The Lakers released Cousins, however, were allowing him to train and recover using their facilities.
While there is a chance that he could return to the Los Angeles Lakers, it is not a guarantee.
While this gesture could mean that the Lakers are looking to re-sign Cousins after releasing him for a roster spot, that is not a foregone conclusion. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said that it is more likely that the Lakers re-sign Dwight Howard than it is Cousins, so Boogie might need to find a new home next season.
He could return to the Lakers, but if he doesn’t, here are the possible free-agent fits for the big man.
1. Boston Celtics
Chances are that Cousins is going to get another one-year prove-it deal this offseason so naturally, the teams that make the most sense for him should be contending for an NBA Championship. The Boston Celtics are one of those teams.
The Boston Celtics have a solid roster that includes all-star point guard Kemba Walker, standout all-star Jayson Tatum and solid role players in Gordon Hayward, Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown. They have the core to contend for the NBA Championship, even if they are not the best team in the East right now.
The one thing that the team lacks is quality size as Enes Kanter is the team’s best center and after that they are thin. They are really missing the presence of Al Horford, who signed with the Philadelphia 76ers and has not been a good fit on that roster.
With little cap space, the Celtics should be jumping all over signing Cousins to a mid-level exception contract for a season with the potential of him being a true difference-maker. Barring any setbacks, he should be fully healthy for the start of the 2020-2021 NBA season and the potential of him as the team’s stretch five is intriguing, to say the least.
If Cousins returned to 80 percent of what he was during his All-NBA seasons then it would undoubtedly give the Celtics the deepest roster in the Eastern Conference and the most dynamic.
2. Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets fully committed to a completely unseen version of basketball this season after including center Clint Capela in a four-team deal to land wing Robert Covington. This gave the Rockets no real center and committed to the small-ball plan that they had been mostly leaning into for several years.
The Rockets’ front office, led by Daryl Morey, is definitely one of the most innovative in the league and even if the Russell Westbrook-James Harden is not perfect, the front office is not going to punt on the offseason and do nothing.
Their hands are tied salary cap-wise so they would have to get really creative in trying to improve the team, which makes Cousins such a perfect target for the Rockets. Using the MLE, the Rockets could bring Cousins in to give them the size that they need on the defensive end while also keeping in touch with their play style.
Cousins is a true stretch five and that is exactly what the Rockets could use on this roster. He is not someone who is going to clog the lane and would be a dangerous pick and roll option with either Harden or Westbrook.
The only thing that could prevent this from happening is Cousins’ outlook on the fit in Houston. He might not be okay playing with two guys with such usage rates, especially when he is trying to go out and play for a new contract.
3. Los Angeles Clippers
Most Laker fans reading this are going to absolutely despise the idea of DeMarcus Cousins staying in LA and signing with the Los Angeles Clippers. It would feel wrong for him to be a part of such a close-knit roster to only sign with the team that is down the hall from the Lakers.
More from Lake Show Life
- Darvin Ham adds to Max Christie hype train after Lakers preseason opener
- Is LeBron James playing tonight? Latest Lakers vs Warriors update
- Can Darvin Ham put all of the Lakers puzzle pieces together?
- Lakers news: Darvin Ham knows his fifth starter, LeBron James and Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino praise
- Michael Malone’s painfully ironic comment has Lakers fans heated
However, if Cousins does not get an offer from the Los Angeles Lakers, he has to put any ‘brotherhood’ aside and do what is best for his career. If he wants a place where he can showcase his abilities and contend for a title, the Clippers would be a good destination.
The one thing that this Clippers roster needs is size. Ivica Zubac is the team’s only traditional center and Montrezl Harrell could leave in free agency in the offseason. With or without Harrell, the Clippers could use one more dynamic player in the frontcourt as Doc Rivers seemingly does not trust Ivica Zubac in big moments.
Cousins would be an excellent fit. Not only does he give the team size and is an adequate defender to fit the defensive nature of the team, but he is someone who can stretch the court and distributes the basketball quite well for a big man.
He is not someone who is going to be a ball-stopper and won’t restrict Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on the wings. His numbers might not be the best as the third option, but stylistically, he fits like a glove on the Clippers.
Some may look at the incident when Cousins punched Patrick Beverley in the stomach in 2014 and say that Cousins would never sign with the team for that reason.
While it would be awkward at first, Cousins signed with the Golden State Warriors after an altercation with Kevin Durant, so I would not rule it out for that sole purpose.