DeMarcus Cousins made a shocking decision this offseason in NBA free agency when he took a discounted contract to sign with the Golden State Warriors. He blamed the decision on other teams not giving him offers, but that claim was quickly refuted. No matter what the case may be, the Warriors now have five All-Stars to fill out their starting lineup.
One issue with Cousins is the fact that he is still recovering from a torn Achilles that he suffered last season with the New Orleans Pelicans. Coming back from an Achilles injury is an extremely difficult and tedious process.
According to a new video posted by Cousins on his Twitter account, the star big man appears to be making major progress in his rehab. He is back on the court working on ball-handling and shooting. Golden State fans should be very excited to see this video.
While it is a good sign, the Warriors should not expect Cousins back for the start of the 2018-19 NBA season. There is a good chance that he could end up sitting out until sometime following the All-Star break. Whenever he is able to make his return, Cousins is going to make the Warriors a much scarier team.
Progress… #TheResurgence #0Doubt pic.twitter.com/scrmftylMt
— DeMarcus Cousins (@boogiecousins) August 21, 2018
Last season with the Pelicans, Cousins ended up averaging 25.2 points per game to go along with 12.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks. He shot 47.0 percent from the field overall and knocked down 35.4 percent from beyond the three-point arc. Those numbers show exactly why NBA fans and even players weren’t happy to see him join the Warriors.
Golden State has been nearly impossible to beat over the past few seasons already. Add in another All-Star and arguably the most talented all-around big man in the league and they get even more difficult to defeat.
At 28 years old, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for Cousins. One year in Golden State may help him get his value back up for free agency next offseason. More than likely, his value will be much higher than the Warriors can afford.
All of that being said, the progress that can be seen from Cousins’ video is an extremely good sign. He may not be close to getting back into game action, but the Warriors can see the light at the end of the tunnel for their new star returning to the court.
Expect to see Cousins continue updating his fans about the rehab process and don’t be surprised if he is back on the floor around the midway point of the season.
