New Orleans Pelicans: 2017-18 player grades for DeMarcus Cousins

Final grade

It’s a shame that Cousins got injured, as he more than likely would’ve been able to participate in the first postseason of his eight-year career.

A guy with his all-around skill set on the offensive end would’ve been a matchup nightmare for whoever New Orleans faced, especially with the small-ball lineup that so many teams love to implement.

When healthy during this past season, Cousins didn’t seem to miss a beat playing next to Anthony Davis. If anything, he thrived with another superstar capable of carrying some of the offensive burden. With a diverse offensive game coupled with his size, Cousins might just be the most dominant big man since the days of Shaquille O’Neal.

Like every great player, though, Cousins still has things that he could improve on, including his effort on the defensive end.

To judge Cousins on the entirety of the Pelicans season is to give him an incomplete grade, as we never got to see how his game would translate to postseason basketball.

However, if we simply judged him up until his injury, Cousins was what he’s been for the past few years now: a versatile offensive threat, with the size to dominate the paint and the skills to thrive on the perimeter.

Next: 2018 NBA Mock Draft - Doncic still No. 1 in post-lottery edition

Grade: A-