Golden State Warriors: 3 reasons DeMarcus Cousins hysteria is overblown
2. Warriors added Cousins because no one else could
Golden State has not only built one of the best teams of all-time, but its doing so has coincided with a period of an unprecedented league-wide financial shackling. The very 2016 cap spike that helped the Warriors land Durant also helped other would-be Cousins suitors take themselves out of the race.
The Washington Wizards, a team in which Cousins has indirectly expressed interest in joining for years (due to their franchise player being his buddy John Wall), signed Ian Mahinmi to a four-year, $64 million contract that summer. The New York Knicks love to make risky big-name splashes, but their previous one (Joakim Noah, four years, $72 million) has inhibited their chance at another.
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Only seven teams entered free agency with enough practical cap space (this excludes teams with cap holds on players were expected to be retained) to offer Cousins more than the Mid-Level Exception. Of those seven, three are tanking (Sacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls). One had no interest in a center (Indiana Pacers), while one had interest in a different center (Dallas Mavericks).
That left the Los Angeles Lakers and his incumbent New Orleans Pelicans as the only reasonable suitors for more than the mid-level. Given that they seemed more keen on swapping former Kentucky guys who can’t shoot than re-signing/adding one who can, the MLE was the only real route for Cousins.
At that point, he has a choice: Go somewhere for $8.6 million (the full MLE) or $5.3 million (the taxpayer version). For a guy that has made over $60 million in his career and hopes to make at least $60 million more, a $3 million difference is not much.
Once the MLE’s were on the table, the Warriors suddenly became the most attractive destination. Cousins could ease his way back slowly, play alongside guys who will give him more scoring and assist opportunities than ever and rehab his body and his value for next summer. He could also win a ring in the process, fit it for his middle finger and turn back around at the league that had no interest in him.