2018 NBA free agency grades: Warriors snagging DeMarcus Cousins

By Luke Askew | Jul 2, 2018

Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images /

The Golden State Warriors are reportedly going to sign DeMarcus Cousins to a one-year, $5.3 million deal. Let’s give the Warriors a grade for this internet-breaking move.

Per ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Golden State Warriors have agreed to a one-year, $5.3 million deal with DeMarcus Cousins. It’s safe to say the internet is currently on fire, but how much better does this really make the Warriors?

Cousins is a perennial All-Star and one of the best big men in the NBA. However, he’s coming off a horrific torn Achilles, and no one knows how good (or healthy) he’ll be when he returns. A torn Achilles is no joke for any athlete, but especially so for a 6’11”, 269-pound brick house.

Before his injury, during the 2017-18 season, DeMarcus Cousins averaged 25.2 points, 12.9 rebound and 5.4 assists per game on 47.0 percent shooting from the field and 35.4 percent shooting from 3-point range.

Those are definitely impressive numbers. I mean, for his entire career, Cousins is averaging 21.5 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. The dude simply stuffs the stat sheet, but he hasn’t proven he can win yet. As far as I’m concerned, it’s still unclear whether Cousins will be a perennial “good stats, bad team” guy. What has he done to prove otherwise?

Unpopular opinion: The Warriors will be worse with Cousins in the lineup next year.

I know, that take won’t go over very well. I get it. The Warriors just added another All-Star (making it five in their starting lineup when Boogie is healthy) and people aren’t happy — but I just don’t see the fit. I mean, Anthony Davis played significantly better without Cousins last season. I know it’s a completely different situation, but still, it matters. The Pelicans were a better team post-DeMarcus Cousins injury.

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Is Cousins really going to be happy with his 8-10 shots per game when he comes back from injury? There’s no question that he’ll be the fourth scoring option (behind KD, Steph and Klay) and no offense to Cousins, but he hasn’t ever been a good defender and he’s also been known to be a bit of a locker room cancer. The Warriors led the NBA in technical fouls last year and it’s pretty well known among NBA fans how the refs feel about Cousins – and vice versa.

The other thing that people are forgetting: Cousins might not even play until January. I just don’t see him blending well with the reigning two-time champs in a role that he won’t be used to.

Now, there’s a really good chance I’ll be wrong. The dude’s an All-Star and the Warriors keep proving to us why they’re lightyears ahead of every other organization in the NBA. They probably know what they’re doing and there’s a real possibility that come next June, I’ll look like an absolute idiot for this take. Maybe Cousins will just dominate from January-June. Who knows?

However, I have to trust my gut. Something isn’t sitting right about this move. Maybe it’s his defense, maybe it’s his attitude, maybe it’s his injury or maybe it’s some combination of everything, but unless Cousins returns fully healthy, I see this as a bad move for the Warriors. Maybe “bad” is an overstatement, but I definitely don’t see it as good.

It’s only a one-year deal, and my prediction is that it doesn’t work out. I’m guessing Cousins won’t be getting the minutes or shooting opportunities that he wants in the playoffs and they cut ties after a one-year trial run.

I really don’t want this to come off as Cousins slander, though. Despite everything I just said, I really like Boogie as a player; he’s obviously elite. I’m just not sure I like the fit.

Let me end with one thought. Even though I don’t like this move for the Warriors, I still think they’re by far the best team in the NBA and I still think they’ll be hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy next June. I don’t think it’s a bad enough move to derail them from their ultimate goal, but still, I really don’t like it.

Next: 2018 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far

Grade: C-

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