Demarcus Cousins Rumors

International Notes: Cousins, Grant, Days, Wright-Foreman

June 14th, 2025 at 1:29pm CST by Rory Maher

Former NBA star DeMarcus Cousins offered a brief apology on Instagram for his role in a brawl with fans in Puerto Rico on Monday, as Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com relays (via Twitter).

“I want to apologize to the fans of Puerto Rico for my actions,” Cousins wrote. “I have so much love and respect for the island (blue heart emoji).”

Cousins, 34, was suspended for the remainder of the season and had his contract terminated by Mets de Guaynabo as a result of the incident (YouTube link). He was also fined. The four-time All-Star’s last NBA stop came with Denver during the 2021/22 season.

Here are a few more international notes:

Veteran guard Jerian Grant, who played parts of five NBA seasons from 2015-20, has officially signed a contract extension that will keep him with Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos through the 2027/28 season (story via BasketNews.com). The 32-year-old averaged 8.7 points and 3.3 assists on .505/.414/.862 shooting in 34 EuroLeague games this past season (26.4 MPG).
Fresh off an NBL championship with the Illawara Hawks, ex-Rocket Darius Days will be heading to Japan for the ’25/26 campaign, having reached an agreement with San-En NeoPhoenix of the B.League, sources tell Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. The 25-year-old forward spent the ’22/23 season on a two-way deal with Houston.
Former Hofstra point guard Justin Wright-Foreman, who spent several months on a two-way deal with Utah after being selected 53rd overall in 2019, has officially signed a one-year deal with Greece’s Iraklis BC, the team announced in a press release. Wright-Foreman, who has suited up for Team USA on multiple occasions during AmeriCup Qualifiers, most recently played in Qatar.

International Notes: Cousins, Culver, Dozier, Milutinov

June 11th, 2025 at 9:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

Former NBA star DeMarcus Cousins, now playing in Puerto Rico, was suspended for the remainder of the season and had his contract terminated after being involved in a brawl with fans, according to The Associated Press.

During a game on Monday, Cousins made an obscene gesture toward a fan at courtside, then grabbed the fan’s arm after they exchanged words. He was eventually pulled away by his teammates. After being ejected, Cousins argued with another fan on his way back to the locker room while several people threw liquids at him.

On Tuesday, the Baloncesto Superior Nacional league fined Cousins $4,250 for his actions. He could face an additional $5,750 fine, according to AP.

“As an organization, we strongly condemn any form of violence or provocation, whether on or off the field. Safety, respect, and sportsmanship are non-negotiable values for this franchise,” Cousins’ team stated in a news release.

This is the second season in Puerto Rico for the 34-year-old, who last played in the NBA during the 2021/22 season. He’s averaging 18.2 points and nine rebounds per game, but his Mets team is only 9-18.

There’s more international news to pass along:

Jarrett Culver, the sixth pick in the 2019 draft, is nearing an agreement with the Sendai 89ers in Japan, sources tell Domantas Urbonas of BasketNews. The 26-year-old, who played four NBA seasons, spent this year with the Osceola Magic in the G League, averaging 13.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 34 games.
Former NBA player PJ Dozier has decided to re-sign with Anadolu Efes amid significant interest on the EuroLeague free agent market, Urbonas adds in a separate story. Dozier, 28, helped the Turkish team make a late-season charge to the playoffs after signing with them in January.
Nets draft-and-stash player Nikola Milutinov has signed a three-year contract to remain with Olympiacos, Urbonas tweets. A report earlier this week indicated that Milutinov was close to leaving for Olimpia Milano, and he reportedly also received a large offer from Panathinaikos.

And-Ones: D. Williams, Cousins, Front Offices, Kuzminskas, More

February 23rd, 2025 at 5:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Former No. 2 overall pick Derrick Williams has signed with the Mets de Guaynabo ahead of the 2025 season, the Puerto Rican team announced this week (via Instagram; hat tip to Sportando).

Williams, who was selected right after Kyrie Irving in the 2011 draft, appeared in 428 NBA games across seven seasons from 2011-18 before spending several years in Europe. The veteran forward, who will turn 34 this May, last suited up for Panathinaikos in Greece during the 2022/23 season.

The Mets de Guaynabo also made another notable roster announcement this week, indicating (via Instagram) that they’ve reacquired the rights to four-time NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins, who last played for the team in 2023.

According to Joseph Reboyras of Primera Hora (Twitter link), former NBA guard J.J. Barea, who is currently the Mets’ head coach, said a few days ago that Cousins’ return isn’t yet a lock. However, the former NBA center, who is now 34, has shown interest in returning to Puerto Rico for the coming season and was scheduled to meet with Barea this week to discuss the possibility.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

In a massive feature article, Sam Quinn of CBS Sports ranks all 30 NBA front offices, from the Thunder at No. 1 to the Bulls at No. 30. Quinn divided teams into 11 separate tiers, with the Celtics (No. 2) and Spurs (No. 3) joining Oklahoma City in the top group, while the Mavericks (No. 27), Suns (No. 28), and the Kings (No. 29) rounded out the bottom tier..
Former NBA forward Mindaugas Kuzminskas, who appeared in 69 games for New York from 2016-18, has announced his retirement from the Lithuanian national team and won’t compete in EuroBasket 2025 this offseason, as Eurohoops relays. “I feel that now is the right moment to say thank you and step aside,” Kuzminskas said as part of a larger statement.
Jeremy Woo of ESPN (Insider link) takes a look at 15 of the NCAA freshman who have emerged as top prospects for the 2025 NBA draft and poses one key questions for each player, including how high Cooper Flagg‘s offensive ceiling is, whether Kasparas Jakucionis‘ modest athleticism will limit him, and whether Tre Johnson can improve his shot selection.

And-Ones: Cousins, All-Star Voting, 2025 Draft, More

January 10th, 2025 at 7:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Four-time NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins hasn’t played in the league since finishing the 2021/22 season with Denver, but he continues to compete professionally in non-NBA leagues around the world. The 34-year-old center is joining Selenge Bodons in Mongolia, according to announcements from the club on Instagram and Cousins on Facebook.

The No. 5 overall pick in the 2010 draft, Cousins averaged 19.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game in 654 regular season appearances for seven NBA teams from 2010-22. Cousins’ career was derailed by a series of major leg injuries, including a torn ACL and torn Achilles, which reduced his effectiveness on both ends of the court in his later NBA seasons.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

The NBA provided an update on All-Star fan voting on Thursday, announcing (via Twitter) that Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic continue to be the leading vote-getters. The only change among the top three frontcourt players and two guards in each conference since last Thursday is that Warriors star Stephen Curry has nudged ahead of Luka Doncic as the No. 2 guard in the West.
Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN (Insider link) and Sam Vecenie of The Athletic have updates their NBA mock drafts for 2025. Vecenie suggests that after top two prospects Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper, there are plenty of question marks, which is reflected in the significant differences between the two mocks. For example, Georgia’s Asa Newell comes in at No. 6 in Vecenie’s mock but at No. 22 in ESPN’s. Converseley, French point guard Nolan Traore, the No. 6 player for ESPN, nearly falls out of the lottery in Vecenie’s mock at No. 13.
In a pair of stories for The Athletic, John Hollinger identifies several underrated draft prospects to watch, including including Texas Tech’s Darrion Williams and Auburn’s Johni Broome, and discusses 10 less heralded trade candidates, such as Rockets forward Jeff Green, Celtics guard Jaden Springer, and Grizzlies sharpshooter Luke Kennard.

And-Ones: Cousins, Murray, Draft Prospects, Hot Seats

September 9th, 2024 at 9:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Former NBA center DeMarcus Cousins won’t reach out to NBA teams to get another chance to play in the league, he said on the Club 520 podcast (hat tip to Hoops Hype).

“I’m not going to go out trying to convince these guys anymore,” he said. “You know what I bring to the floor. It’s been proven. If you really wanted to know who I am, you’d take the time to get to know me instead of listening to somebody else. I’m past trying to reach out. If an opportunity comes that makes sense, I’ll consider it, but I’m done with the convincing.”

Cousins recently joined Wuxi WenLv, a Chinese team on the FIBA 3×3 World Tour. Cousins, who has been out of the NBA since 2022, has played for professional teams in Puerto Rico, Taiwan, and the Philippines since that point.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Jamal Murray‘s contract extension agreement with the Nuggets is good news for Canada’s basketball program, Michael Grange of Sportsnet opines. Murray took a lot of criticism during the Paris Olympics for his subpar performances and there were long-term concerns about his health. The possibility that Murray’s performances for Canada would be used against him in contract negotiations was a scenario the program didn’t want or need. It could have been the kind of cautionary tale that could create obstacles regarding team-building in the future, according to Grange.
Several prospects in the NBA’s next two draft classes have boosted their stock this summer and Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report takes a look at some of those risers. That group includes Baylor freshman guard V.J. Edgecombe and Illinois swingman Kasparas Jakucionis, as well as Cameron Boozer (draft-eligible in 2026).
Bulls top executive Arturas Karnisovas and head coach Billy Donovan, Bucks GM Jon Horst and coach Doc Rivers, Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins, and Nuggets GM Calvin Booth are among the GMs, presidents and coaches who have the most to prove this NBA season, according to ESPN’s Insiders.

International Notes: Yurtseven, Lessort, Sochan, Beverley, Cousins

August 27th, 2024 at 12:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Sani Becirovic, the technical director Panathinaikos, confirmed this week that the Greek club has interest in free agent big man Omer Yurtseven, who has spent the past three seasons in the NBA. Panathinaikos’ interest in Yurtseven was reported earlier this month.

“The truth has been written,” Becirovic said, per Alessandro Maggi of Sportando. “We have nothing to hide: he is one of the players we are interested in. There have been contacts, we have studied the case to see if he is a realistic option or not. But there is still some work to be done to reach an agreement.”

If Panathinaikos is able to finalize a deal with Yurtseven, the veteran center would join a frontcourt that also includes Mathias Lessort, whose play at the Olympics helped generate some NBA buzz. However, Becirovic said that he wasn’t worried about Lessort – whose NBA rights are controlled by the Knicks – making the move stateside this offseason.

“Obviously, we want him to stay as long as possible and we will do everything we can to keep him,” Becirovic said. “No, I wasn’t nervous about him leaving because he didn’t have a contract with the NBA. So I was pretty calm about it. There were also rumors that there was a lot of interest in him. The interest was there, but we never got into serious negotiations to make something happen, like with (Guerschon) Yabusele (leaving Real Madrid for the Sixers) for example.”

Here are a few more items of interest from around the international basketball world:

Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan, who played for the Polish national team during the 2024 Olympic qualifiers, has committed to representing the country next summer at EuroBasket, as Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops relays. As one of the four countries co-hosting EuroBasket 2025, Poland has automatically qualified for the tournament.
Patrick Beverley, who is playing for Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel in 2024/25, has lofty goals for his new club, as he stated in a video recently posted to his Twitter account. “I don’t want to win, I want complete domination,” Beverley said. “… I don’t even want games to be close. I just want us to stomp the s–t out of everybody.” The veteran guard is aiming to help lead Hapoel Tel Aviv to a EuroCup title next season in order to earn the team a promotion to the EuroLeague.
Four-time NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins has joined Wuxi WenLv, a Chinese team on the FIBA 3×3 World Tour, according to an announcement from FIBA (Twitter link). Cousins, who has been out of the NBA since 2022, has played for professional teams in Puerto Rico, Taiwan, and the Philippines since then.

International Notes: Caboclo, Galloway, Paschall, Cousins

August 2nd, 2024 at 6:49pm CST by Luke Adams

Former NBA first-round pick Bruno Caboclo helped keep Brazil’s hopes for a men’s basketball Olympic medal alive on Friday, leading the team to a 102-84 win over Japan and securing the Brazilians a spot in the quarterfinals. Caboclo racked up 33 points and 17 rebounds on 13-of-19 shooting in 30 minutes of action, making all four of his three-point attempts.

The veteran forward was reported earlier this summer to be at odds with KK Partizan and was said to be on the lookout for an NBA opportunity, but it sounds like he’ll be remaining in Europe for the upcoming season. Caboclo told reporters on Friday that he expects to play for the Belgrade-based club next season and referred to Partizan’s Zeljko Obradovic as one of the world’s best coaches, per BasketNews.com.

As for a potential return to the NBA down the road? The 28-year-old suggested he hasn’t ruled it out.

“I think I still have a little hope of getting into the NBA, but if I don’t, I will not be sad,” Caboclo said. “I’ll keep doing my best and whatever God has for me.”

Here are a few more notes from around the international basketball world:

Before he joined the Bucks last season, Australian wing Jaylin Galloway signed a three-year contract with the Sydney Kings. Now that he has been waived by Milwaukee, could he be headed back to Sydney? According to Olgun Uluc of ESPN (Twitter link), the Australian club has kept a roster spot open in case Galloway returns, though he’s expected to continue exploring potential NBA options and only shift his focus to the NBL if nothing materializes stateside. If he wants to play in the NBL, his three-year deal with Sydney would resume.
Former NBA forward/center Eric Paschall has signed with Pistoia Basket, the Italian team announced on Instagram. The former Villanova standout, who was the No. 41 overall pick in the 2019 draft, appeared in 158 total regular season games for Golden State and Utah from 2019-22. This will be his first time playing professionally in Europe.
Four-time NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins is suiting up for the Zamboanga Valientes of the Philippines for the final leg of the Asian Tournament, according to Kennedy Caacbay of ABS-CBN News. The veteran center has been competing in Puerto Rico and Taiwan in recent years, having not played for an NBA team since 2022.

International Notes: Brooks, Rodriguez, Cousins, Howard, Cook, Canaan

June 19th, 2024 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran free agent guard Armoni Brooks has signed a two-year contract with Olimpia Milano, the Italian team announced today in a press release.

Brooks was in the NBA as recently as this year, having appeared in 10 games for the Nets on a two-way contract before being waived in January. The 26-year-old, who has also suited up for the Rockets and Raptors since making his NBA debut in 2021, spent the rest of the 2023/24 season with the Clippers’ G League affiliate.

Brooks will join an Olimpia Milano team that has won three straight Italian League titles but struggled in EuroLeague competition this past season, finishing just 15-19 and missing the playoffs.

Here are a few more notes from around the international basketball world:

Former NBA guard Sergio Rodriguez has called it a career, formally announcing his retirement on social media (Twitter link). A first-round pick in 2006, Rodriguez spent four seasons in the NBA with Portland, Sacramento, and New York from 2006-10 before returning for the 2016/17 season with Philadelphia. However, the 38-year-old spent most of his career overseas, winning three EuroLeague titles, a EuroLeague MVP award (in 2014), and several other domestic championships in Europe. He was also a mainstay on Spain’s national team, winning a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics and bronze in 2016, as well as a gold medal at the 2006 World Cup.
DeMarcus Cousins, Dwight Howard, and Quinn Cook – three members of the 2019/20 Lakers – are reuniting as with the Taiwan Mustags for the Asian Tournament this July, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Cousins and Howard have been out of the NBA since 2022, while Cook last played in the league in 2021.
Former NBA guard Isaiah Canaan has signed a two-year deal with Crvena Zvezda, according to a press release from the Serbian team. Canaan has 235 total regular season NBA games under his belt, though he hasn’t been in the league since 2019.

And-Ones: Top Free Agents, Cousins, Ayayi, Barkley

June 1st, 2024 at 9:46pm CST by Arthur Hill

Lakers star LeBron James is the top name on a list of possible free agents compiled by Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. Even as he nears age 40, James has the potential to shake up the league if he turns down his $51.4MM player option and decides to test the market this summer.

Pincus acknowledges that James is likely to remain in L.A. no matter what he does with the option. He can either opt in and extend his contract for two more seasons or opt out and negotiate a new deal starting at $49.4MM. Either way, Pincus expects James’ next contract to run through the 2026/27 season.

Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey is second on Pincus’ list, but he’s almost certain to reach a maximum extension with Philadelphia, which can pay him significantly more than any rival team. Pacers forward Pascal Siakam, Clippers forward Paul George and Clippers guard James Harden round out the top five.

There’s more news from around the basketball world:

Former NBA center DeMarcus Cousins earned Finals MVP honors as he led the Taiwan Beer Leopards to the Taiwan T1 league title, according to ClutchPoints (Twitter link). The six-time All-Star, who hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2021/22 season, joined the Taiwanese team in mid-April.
Shooting guard Joel Ayayi, who appeared in seven games with Washington during the 2021/22 season, has signed with JL Bourg in France. The French native played his college ball at Gonzaga, then spent two years in the G League before joining Nanterre 92 this season.
As Charles Barkley laments the possible loss of Inside the NBA, he’s also publicly negotiating his next contract, according to Bryan Curtis of The Ringer. Curtis notes that the show’s demise will make Barkley the most in-demand free agent in TV sports history. He adds that Barkley is doing a masterful job of promoting himself by being extremely quotable and appearing on a large number of shows to increase his visibility. Curtis states that Barkley’s approach to the business can be summed up by something he said on a podcast when he was negotiating with LIV Golf two years ago: “I love my job at TNT. I love the people. But you have to take all meetings.”

And-Ones: Cousins, Cooks, Eubanks, Valentine

March 19th, 2024 at 5:58pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

DeMarcus Cousins‘ contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards, slated to begin in mid-April, will cover a month-and-a-half, sources inform Marc Stein (Twitter link).

The 6’10” big man was a four-time All-Star and a two-time All-NBA honoree while with the Kings and Pelicans. Major lower leg injuries cut his career short at an all-too-brief 11 years.

Following his All-Star prime, he played for the Warriors, Rockets, Clippers, Bucks and Nuggets in brief stints as a reserve. Across 654 total NBA regular season contests, he boasts averages of 19.6 PPG (on .460/.331/.737 shooting), 10.2 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.3 SPG and 1.1 BPG.

Cousins hasn’t been able to find an NBA home since the end of the 2021/22. He has since played for clubs in Puerto Rico and Taiwan.

There’s more from around the basketball world:

Suns reserve big man Drew Eubanks wants to play for the Italian team in a future Olympics, according to Simone Sandri of La Gazzetta (hat tip to Kevin Martorano of Sportando for the translation). “I would certainly like to be able to play in an Olympics,” Eubanks said. “…I like to play competitive games even in the offseason. In fact, the idea of playing different basketball during the summer is intriguing to me and can only be beneficial to my NBA career. The prospect of joining a new team intrigues me, but let’s see what happens with the paperwork and then we’ll decide.”
Former Wizards guard Xavier Cooks has inked the biggest deal in the history of Australia’s National Basketball League to return to the Sydney Kings, per Olgun Uluc of ESPN. Cooks, a league MVP, helped propel Sydney to consecutive titles in 2022 and ’23. He has agreed to a three-year contract with the Kings.
One-time NBA lottery pick Denzel Valentine, hot off his own stint with the Sydney Kings, has signed a contract for the rest of the 2023/24 season with Italian club Olimpia Milano, per Alessandro Maggic of RealOlimpiaMilano.com. Valentine was selected with the No. 14 pick in 2016 out of Michigan State by the Bulls. He also suited up for the Cavaliers and Jazz.