The pros and cons of DeMarcus Cousins joining the Golden State Warriors
By KC Whitten
Con: Significantly less money
It was widely reported that DeMarcus Cousins received no offers from other NBA teams before signing with Golden State. While he didn’t receive offers from the 29 other teams once free agency began, he did receive an offer from New Orleans.
Before the end of the regular season, the Pelicans offered him a two-year contract in the range of $40 million. Boogie scoffed at the offer, and decided to test free agency instead.
If you subscribe to the @nytimes weekly NBA newsletter, it’s already in your inbox and you have fresh reporting on DeMarcus Cousins’ stunning move to Golden State — including this bit on New Orleans offering Cousins an extension late in the season that was declined: pic.twitter.com/bABWuaOnCO
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 3, 2018
Even after his Achilles injury, Boogie believed that he would receive more money from other teams, perhaps even a max contract. When he realized there was no market for a troubled player coming off of a devastating injury, the best option on the table was with the Warriors.
By agreeing to sign with Golden State, Boogie is earning nearly $15 million less per year. When you take taxes into consideration, his earnings significantly decline. The state of California is going to tax his earnings 13.3 percent, while Louisiana would only take him six percent. This results in a loss of nearly $400,000.
It’d be understandable if the Pelicans were a destitute team. However, coming off one of the best seasons in franchise history, and having two superstar players in Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday, New Orleans is a team on the rise. Coming off of a potential career-ending injury, giving up over $15 million per year is an enormous sacrifice to make.