After trading their former star, could the Los Angeles Clippers sign DeMarcus Cousins to replace what Blake Griffin would have been long-term for the franchise?
Blake Griffin was the face of the franchise for the Los Angeles Clippers, but that did not stop them from trading their star power forward. In a shocking move ahead of the NBA trade deadline, the Clippers traded Griffin to the Detroit Pistons in a blockbuster deal that included Tobias Harris and Avery Bradley heading to L.A.
It was a surprising move, as the Clippers and Griffin had just agreed on a new long-term contract in the offseason. Now, the Clippers fanbase has to wonder what’s next. How will they get back to being serious contenders in the Western Conference without Griffin?
Well, the answer to that question could be another star big who is set to hit free agency this offseason. DeMarcus Cousins will be a free agent this offseason, although his value has taken a bit of a hit due to the torn Achilles that he suffered this season while playing with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Despite the Achilles injury, Cousins is expected to be a coveted free agency target for quite a few teams. Rivers and the Clippers could make a lot of sense for Cousins. They could easily replace Griffin with Cousins as the long-term focal point of their offense.
In the 48 games that he played with the Pelicans this season, Cousins averaged huge numbers. He scored 25.2 points per game to go along with 12.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. Cousins shot 47 percent from the field overall and knocked down 35.4 percent of his 3-pointers.
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Because he can spread the floor, Cousins would be an excellent fit alongside DeAndre Jordan in the frontcourt for the Clippers. Jordan is a defensive genius and top-notch rim protector for the Clippers. He is also not the type of post player that needs the basketball in his hands, which would allow Cousins to be the go-to presence for the offense.
At 27 years of age, Cousins has developed into one of the best all-around big men in the NBA. His maturity has improved from his early days with the Sacramento Kings and he has become somewhat of a leader. Playing in L.A. would be intriguing, but he is much more prepared to do so at this point in his career than he would have been even three years ago.
Even if the Clippers do make him a priority this offseason, there will be a lot of teams lining up with offers for Cousins. His Achilles injury will scare some teams away, but most will simply look at the injury as a chance to get him at a discounted price. Anthony Davis is “pretty confident” that Cousins will be back in New Orleans, according to his interview with The New York Times:
With an assist from my pal @shauntellowe ... here's a sample from this week's @nytimes NBA newsletter in which @AntDavis23 discusses his determination to convince @boogiecousins to stay in New Orleans this summer: pic.twitter.com/7Nv1gX9FlI
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) March 7, 2018
No matter what ends up happening, Cousins is likely to come back stronger than ever from this injury. If the Clippers want to get back into contention in the near future, they should throw an aggressive offer at the talented big man. He may not be interested in playing with the Clippers, but it certainly is a team that makes sense for him.
L.A. was able to lock Lou Williams up to a team-friendly three-year, $24 million contract extension this year. It was a big step toward having enough money to be aggressive in free agency. If Cousins is looking for a max contract, it seems unlikely that the Clippers could afford him without making another move.
That being said, an Achilles injury is one of the worst that a basketball player can suffer. That could hurt his value to the point that the Clippers could get involved without having to make any major moves.
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If that happens, they should certainly be a team to watch this offseason in the Cousins sweepstakes.