According to reports, the Golden State Warriors have agreed to sign unrestricted free agent center DeMarcus Cousins to a contract worth $5.3 million over one year. The contract cannot officially be signed until the end of the NBA’s moratorium period on July 6th.
Shams Charania of Yahoo! Sports broke the news
Free agent DeMarcus Cousins has agreed to a deal with the Golden State Warriors, league sources tell Yahoo.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 3, 2018
Golden State Warriors Signs DeMarcus Cousins to One-Year Contract
Cousins’ contract will take him through the end of the 2018-19 season.
Cousins averaged 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game last season for the New Orleans Pelicans. However, he suffered a season-ending Achilles injury, which will likely keep him out beyond the start of next season. Before his unfortunate injury, Cousins was averaging career-highs in rebounds and assists – 5.4 per game. One knock on the big man is that he was also averaging a career-high in turnovers at five per game. This injury could see Cousins out until at least December/January 2019, and his return should be interesting. You’re never quite the same after an injury like the one, so returning to his previous All-Star form will be the real challenge.
Looking forward, Cousins will provide an All-Star’s impact all over the court starting at center for Golden State. Known for his intensity on the court, Cousins will look to rediscover his dominance and play at an All-Star level for his new team. The Warriors will need Cousins to stay healthy and bounce back from last year’s devastating injury in order to contend for their third straight title in the 2018-19 season.
Cousins is going into his 9th season in the league, during which he’ll be 28 years old. Until this point, he’s played for just two teams, after being drafted 5th overall by the Sacramento Kings in 2010.
Main Image:
CHICAGO, USA – NOVEMBER 4: DeMarcus Cousins (0) of New Orleans Pelicans in action during an NBA Game between Chicago Bulls and New Orleans Pelicans at the United Center in Chicago, IL, United States on November 4, 2017. (Photo by Bilgin S. Sasmaz/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)