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2019 NBA free agency: 5 players most likely to be overpaid

By Simon Smith

TORONTO, ONTARIO - JUNE 02: DeMarcus Cousins #0 of the Golden State Warriors reacts against the Toronto Raptors in the second half during Game Two of the 2019 NBA Finals at Scotiabank Arena on June 02, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ONTARIO - JUNE 02: DeMarcus Cousins #0 of the Golden State Warriors reacts against the Toronto Raptors in the second half during Game Two of the 2019 NBA Finals at Scotiabank Arena on June 02, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

2. DeMarcus Cousins

Age: 28
Position: C
2018-19 salary: $5.3 million
Status: Unrestricted free agent

The natural argument as it pertains to signing DeMarcus Cousins is that with a half-season of rehab under his belt, he will very soon be able to transition back to the player who became a four-time All-Star and Olympic gold medalist.

Returning to the fray on Jan. 18 for the Golden State Warriors after almost 12 months on the sidelines due to a torn left Achilles, Boogie nonetheless handled himself with aplomb considering the difficult nature of the injury. However, just two games into his first ever playoff series, Cousins suffered a torn left quadriceps, thus pulling back his on-court rehabilitation efforts even further.

https://twitter.com/boogiecousins/status/1139958432822222849

While he managed to return to the court in time for Game 1 of the NBA Finals, he was a shell of his former self, lacking the requisite spring and explosiveness to make any meaningful impact in the series.

https://twitter.com/warriors/status/1113515006761549824

While the futures of Kevin Durant and Klay Thomson remain undecided, so to does Cousins’. With the Warriors not holding his Bird rights, a return to the Bay Area is completely up in the air.

Given the manner in which the NBA title odds have opened up following the injuries to Durant and Thompson, it’s very conceivable that a team that feels it may be able to push through to the next level, offering Cousins a deal based on past performance.