When DeMarcus Cousins reached an agreement on a one-year deal with the Warriors this past July, both sides were crystal clear on the plan ahead: Sign a contract, bring the four-time NBA All-Star to a world-class team, and work to get that former All-Star his first ever championship.
Cousins’ contract pays him just $5.3MM this season and is set to expire in free agency on July 1. The Warriors recognize they likely won’t be able to retain him after the season due to financial commitments to Stephen Curry ($40MM), Draymond Green ($18.5MM) and impending free agents Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, who could stay in Golden State on lucrative deals.
Golden State will have just the taxpayer MLE and Cousins’ Non-Bird rights available to offer him a new deal, making it very unlikely they bring him back on a substantial raise unless at least one or two other key players leave.
“We made no bones about it when we signed him,” coach Steve Kerr said, according to Logan Murdock of The Mercury News (Twitter link). “This is a one-year deal and we’re not going to have money to sign him next year so we’d like to help him win a championship and sign a great contract somewhere else. That’s the reality.”
Cousins, who ruptured his Achilles tendon in January, has missed the Warriors’ first two weeks of the season. He was cleared to participate in 5-on-5 scrimmages this week, a positive next step in his long rehab, according to Monte Poole of NBCS Authentic (Twitter link).
Cousins, 28, averaged 25.2 points and 12.9 rebounds in 48 games with the Pelicans last season. A dominant force who’s played eight NBA seasons, he will register interest from several teams as a free agent next summer provided he stays healthy.
The Warriors are off to a red-hot start during the 2018/19 season, winning eight of their nine games and remaining undefeated at home. Cousins is expected to replace Damian Jones in the starting lineup once he returns.
Still cant get over the Lakers signing Michael friggn Beasley for just a little less than what Boggie would have cost
The thing is, Cousins wouldn’t sign for that with the Lakers. He signed with Golden State to win a ring and he took a huge discount to do so. The article kind of states that if you read into it.
Cousins called the Lakers first as well as the Celtics, once the 15 million-dollar offers were not out there.
Lakers said please wait a little bit we’re working on something else, which was LeBron.
Celtics said let us think about it for a day or two.
His next call was the Warriors and Bob Myers said immediately, when can you sign? Done deal.
I know, it was foolish on the Lakers to say no
According to the @Gary’s story, the Lakers said wait, not no. If Cousins could not wait then did he really want them? Could the Lakers have gotten him signed before NBA champion Myers would have a chance to tell him what to do?
If you didn’t say yes then you said no. There’s no “wait” in business.
Well if Durant leaves and you pay Klay you might be able to re-sign Cousins. Klay will cost them 130-180 mil. Durant likely 190-210 million.
No way Durant leaves and no way cousin’s resigns. That’s a guarantee.
Durant’s pretty much has been talking about nothing but getting the max. I’m not sure Golden State can afford to nore is legally capable to give him what we wants cause Steph is their designated max player
The Warriors owner just recently said he’ll give Durant whatever he wants. Done deal.
Steph is supermax. Only the Warriors can offer Durant a 5 year contract. Only the Warriors have Bird rights.
Only OKC had bird rights last time
I actually think there’s a greater chance than not that Durant leaves. I bet he signs a one year deal somewhere then gets the full max contract the following year. Being the man in New York for the Knicks is my guess.
Sporting News just put the article up saying AD wants to play with Cousins again (I’d imagine in New Orleans), Check it out. AD doesn’t want to play center.
Really? I think Golden State will prioritize Klay Thompson over Kevin Durant. Facts is Green doesn’t get suspended and Curry was close to 100 percent 2016 Cleveland goes home in 5-6 or it would have been a sweep.
If I had to make a prediction I’d say Washington gets rid of Porter at the deadline and Durant comes over to Washington. Scott Brooks was his favorite coach.
Sorry on this one. The Warriors have both the money and the championships. They go together. Look at the gleam in Steph, KD, Draymond, and Klay’s eyes when they are together. They have historically good chemistry. I hope they stay together until they are in at least 9 finals in a row.
You are right. Draymond doesn’t get suspended, the Cavs never win a championship. I still don’t think Draymond kicked LeBron hard enough to warrant a suspension. LeBron hits guys harder than that when he drives to the basket.
It wasn’t just one thing that got Draymond suspended. Those are straw man arguments, and in @Ptn’s case, an unhealthy (and off-topic) obsession with Lebron.
Also, the Warriors cannot give anyone whatever they want. There are rules.
That is a dumb quote repeated incessantly by a poster who cannot tell what is important or not.
You hate the Warriors. You are the no. 1 Bronsexual. Even when the Warriors re sign Durant and Klay you’ll be making some stupid argument that LeBron is better than they are. We will never agree with each other. We can read the same article and get something completely different out of it. You hate the Warriors and Kyrie, and are delusional about LeBron. This article is about the Warriors. Durant plays for them now, and will be for the next 5 years. I’m glad you think you are smarter than the Warriors owner. You have a thing about being smarter than f/o people. “Why don’t you try applying for their job if you know so much?”
P.S. Kyrie is kicking butt now. I’m sooooo happy for him.
marry him, and leave us alone!!!
Freedom of speech dude. Go Kyrie. Go Celtics. Go Warriors.
I have never hated GSW. And what could be more “bronsexual” than your obsession with him? You bring him up when nobody else did. You think Klay is better. Delusion.
Agree Dionis, if one of Durant or Klay leave, I could see a contract for Cousins to stay.
Sporting News- Anthony Davis says he would like to “reconnect” with Cousins in the future. Felt like they had something special going.
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything like where the coach admits something like this. I mean at least he’s being realistic u like most Warriors fans who think they can bring him back next year along with Klay and KD and also afford Green when his contract is up. People say Lakers fans are delusional but then you have Warriors fans think the NBA is NBA2K and you can just turn the cap off when you want lol. There is no way they can bring back Cousins and there is no way they’ll be able to bring back KD, Klay and lay Green when his time is here.
I don’t know one single person who has said cousins is signing again with the Warriors next summer. There’s absolutely zero chance of that happening. I don’t know where you’re getting that from.