NBA Rumors: DeMarcus Cousins Wants Max Contract In Free Agency
DeMarcus Cousins is coming off what was one of his best seasons since becoming an NBA player. He had a monstrous year, but had to end it early after tearing his Achilles. Due to the injury, there have been rumors that Cousins might end up having to accept a lesser deal than some would have expected him to get.
According to a report shared by Bleacher Report, Cousins liked an Instagram post that stated that the New Orleans Pelicans should offer him a max deal. That doesn’t mean that he won’t take less than the max, but it certainly is a sign that he still believes he should be paid like a superstar.
New Orleans head coach Alvin Gentry has said that the Pelicans would like to bring Cousins back. Paying him a max contract likely isn’t something that the team will end up doing. Anthony Davis and the Pelicans continued playing at a high level even after Cousins went down with his injury.
During the 2017-18 season, Cousins averaged 25.2 points per game to go along with 12.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. He shot 47.0 percent from the field overall and knocked down 35.4 percent of his three-point attempts.
At 27-years-old, Cousins is in the prime of his career. He is very confident that he will get back to star form in 2018-19 and has been attacking his recovery process. Some teams may get scared off because of the injury, but there will be a team or two that are willing to throw big money at Cousins.
Cut the check, Pelicans ? pic.twitter.com/wp93Qj8Arf
— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) May 21, 2018
He has been linked to quite a few different teams already and the offseason hasn’t even started. Cousins has been mentioned as a potential offseason target for both the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Both teams need a star big man and have money to spend this offseason.
Cousins heading back to New Orleans is looking less likely with each new day. This recent report doesn’t look good, and Cousins has also unfollowed the Pelicans on social media. Social media doesn’t necessarily mean anything, but it is definitely a concern.
All of that being said, Cousins is going to be one of the most talked about players in the league this offseason. He is one of the top players in free agency and has proven himself to be the type of player that a franchise could build around should they choose to do so.
Expect to see the Pelicans make an effort to re-sign Cousins, but when everything is said and done they are going to have a lot of teams to compete with to sign him.
