The Rockets are planning to part ways with veteran center DeMarcus Cousins, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Sources tell Charania that the team wants to utilize a smaller and younger approach in the frontcourt once Christian Wood returns from an ankle injury. Making a move now will give Cousins plenty of time to catch on with another team.
A report on Friday indicated that Houston would guarantee Cousins’ veteran-minimum contract for the rest of the season. That means any team that claims him off waivers would inherit the remaining portion of the $2.56MM deal.
Sources confirmed to Mark Berman of KRIV-TV in Houston that Cousins will be traded or waived in the next few days (Twitter link). The front office gave him the salary guarantee as a show of appreciation “for his professionalism and how he went about his business,” Berman adds.
Cousins joined the Rockets in training camp on a non-guaranteed contract, hoping to prove he could still be effective after three serious leg injuries. He appeared in 25 games, making 11 starts, and averaged 9.6 points and 7.6 rebounds while shooting 37.6% from the floor.
Several teams will likely be interested in adding the 30-year-old for the second half of the season. Cousins spent much of last year with the Lakers, although he wasn’t able to play because of an ACL injury, and continued to work out with the team after being waived in February. He played the previous season with the Warriors, who are short-handed in the middle after a recent run of injuries. The Nets, who have been looking for center help in free agency after parting with Jarrett Allen in the James Harden deal, also figure to be interested.
Why?
Rockets want to go younger/smaller and were probably going to cut Cousin’s minutes. If he’s getting the minimum regardless he wants minutes on a contender most likely.
Why?
but why male models?
Brooklyn
Yes Brooklyn, make then worse defensively. Not only will opponents get by Harden, they’ll also get by Cousins.
What
Hey Rockets, you need a center. Rockets- let’s cut our only center that’s active
It’s not unprecedented. For them.
If he and Harden can put their little beef aside, he would be great for Brooklyn.
Both should be able to put it behind them to fight for a title. I’m guessing the Nets would drop Vonleh if they were to pick him up. The Nets also have a couple exceptions to choose from – MLE and DPE – if they needed to use it on a guaranteed deal. They might not need to do that since a vet minimum deal should be allowed regardless of cap situation. If the Rockets are willing to trade to get him off their books before he clears waivers, the Nets could offer them Vonleh and/or the traditional 1-55 protected pick.
Uhhhhhh ok
Back to the Warriors
I’d say so but with Wiseman and Looney coming back, I don’t know if he’d get the minutes he wants.
Love the idea but our Head Coach hates playing Big Men. He’d make him stand out by the 3-point line. He’s already said he’s gonna play Wiseman and Looney less after they return from their Injuries. He prefers 6-7 Centers and being out-rebounded by 15 each game.
Looney plays better defense. That’s why he is starting Looney over Wiseman.
Looney is a center ???? I’m confused
What are you confused about? That’s what he has played for 6 seasons.
Dray Guevara needs some D help …
Why? He didn’t work out for the Warriors.
Struggling alone in the paint… Kerr needs to bench him more for Paschall
Since when has Looney struggled to play D?
Cousins back to lakers.. lakers treated him well and knows the system.. they also need a center
Did they give him a ring last year?
Yes they gave him a ring.. first person Ad called in locker room during the celebration was cousins
You are correct lakers will bring him back especially with ad down. He would bring more to the table then gasol right now.
Tatsumaki: based on BBall index, DMC is not really better than marc gasol… please check it…
If cousins can jump he’s better
NERD!!
The stats don’t support how bad gasol has been.. he has zero jumping ability.. very slow footed and can’t contest the rim at all.. plus can’t make a layup
As I recall, Cousins was pretty involved with the team last season even knowing he was not going to play. The Lakers are in desperate need of an inside presence. Vogel must realize that Gasol is a statue out there at some point…I hope…
To Boston
I see lakers
bye bye leverage
I’d be down with the Knicks picking him up
He’d get a lot of playing time with Robinson out but he wants to go to a contender.
Main reason: playing time
Rockets need to clear out players with big injury history
Top draft picks are not coming, so are the top free agents
A few teams are trying to defeat Rockets on tank contest
People call tank “ the fully rebuild”
Come on Sac. Bring him back.
Raptors probably have the biggest void at C in the league. Wouldn’t surprise me to see a trade of some kind from Ujiri
Mavs please
Miami
Quick hard Pass. 67 yr old Alonzo heck even 89 yr old Riley has better lateral quickness than Boogie.
The curious timing of this move leads me to believe that Anthony Davis is done for the year. Boogie will be heading to the Lakers.
Why would anything related to rockets have to do with lakers? Rockets don’t work for lakers.
Stop using common sense, Barry doesn’t abide by the rules of logic
Anthony Davis is done for the year guys. His Achilles is going to pop. He can rest for the next 10 years. When he plays ….. it’s gonna pop.
Davis done for the year? No. Resting until the All-star break, yes.
Anthony Davis is made out of glass!
AD won’t resting until the break, he will be recovering until at least a week after the AS break. And even when he returns the team is expected to be ultra-conservative with him so he’s not going to be playing all that much until very late in the season.
getting cousins back means they can rest AD til the playoffs… by no means that he is done for the year… rather have AD ready for the playoffs
I assume you mean manage AD’s minutes, with which I would agree. I think the Lakers need an upgrade at C, and a healthy Cousins would provide that. And I will point it out again…Cousins seems to have a good relationship with the Lakers. As a Lakers fan, I would love to see him come back.
Big man rotation of Cousins and Montrez doesn’t get you out of the 2nd round of the playoffs. No AD = No more Laker titles with LeBron!
Montrezl is almost as terrible on defense as Cousins, maybe worse.
H8ERS!!!
Boston looks good here.
God no this team has enough mind numbing problems they need a leader and if they did make the move it would be Danny’s only move he’ll use it as the only option for them
Boogie isn’t the same Boogie of Sacramento. Look at how low maintenance he was in GSW and LA. It’s all about the culture and coach too. I think Boogie gets a bad rep bc of his earlier days, he’s grown so much and has been humble and upfront with his recent struggles. I always will root for Boogie no matter which team he is on.
San Antonio could use him but can he work with Pop?
Such a cohesive team. Truly a model franchise.
If he’s willing to go east the Celtics or Heat seem like a good fit. He’ll likely end up a laker although he does nothing for them defensively. Might even be a downgrade defensively from Gasol.
Wall was somewhat happy having has Kentucky buddy there. Guessing more to this
I want to go on the record and say that I don’t like this move! Not to mention it breaks up Wall & Cousins. Which was the only feel good story H-Town had going for it! I hope the next move they make is to bring Porter Jr up. Spread the floor and let their good one on one players drive to the hoop!
Has DMC asked the rockets management to waive him so he can join a contender, maybe the lakers?
Boogie is low-risk/mid-reward at this point in his career …….. a whole lotta teams can use him, from contenders to fringe ones.
LAKERS, RAPTORS, HEAT, NETS, CELTICS, WARRIORS and more.
Or Boogie can always come home to SAC-Town. Seeing him on the bench goofing it up with Whiteside, would simply be priceless ……. seeing Luke Walton’s reaction to this, would be twice priceless.
As usual, Mike…you are reaching. The cow odor just from traveling on the 5 is brutal…it must get into one’s head having to live with it. Doubt many people choose to return without a massive overpay after they get out. ‘Give me the money…I can hold my breath for a few years…”. Just teasing ya, man.
The cowbells are calling him. Time to go home, Boogie.
Lakers, Heat, Celtics, Clippers, Nets all can use a big. All are contenders. His best days will be as a solid backup big. So if he wants a future with real mins 20-24 a gm. Then there are a few teams who would pay well for that. He could get 4-5 yr deal. Love for him to backup Mitch. And we can move Noel for value.
Defensively, you cannot put Boogie Cousins on the floor for 20-24 minutes per game. 4-5 year deal for Boogie? Nope! Boogie will be signing one-year contracts for the rest of his time in the NBA. The Knicks will be adding a Houston Rocket, just not Boogie. Oladipo will be joining the Knicks. Remember you heard that one here first.
I just checked with my connects out in Brooklyn and it turns out that they have no interest Boogie. Harden says to “take a pass on that guy”. Boogie will not be joining the Brooklyn Nets.
they’re awaiting for drummond to get bought out.
@Very Barry: We get it, you hate DMC. Give it a rest.
Warriors?
Very classy move by Houston. Koodos.
Wonder who will we trade to or will we just waive. Oladipo will be gone. How bout PJ as well. I do not see Rockets going anywhere after 7 game loss too. I figured when Rockets do play again maybe by Wednesday if this coming week. With Monday in doubt. I do wish Cousins well. But Wood probably will not be back till after the break. So figure Cousins could help someone as he had no future here. Does Wall even. Guess we may have a team in a couple of years worth watching
Depending on what they can get for Cousins and Oladipo (and possibly Tucker as well) they should be worth watching a whole lot sooner than that.
Those 3 guys have all been terrible this year, but the rest of the team has been very good for the most part (especially Wood, Wall, Gordon, and Tate).
And once the G-League is done in a few weeks they will also be getting back both KJ Martin and Kevin Porter who might contribute a lot themselves.
Shady rockets…
Their defense has been absolutely terrible during the 7-game losing streak with him starting at center. It’s a simple solution to a huge problem, they need Wood back.