Last summer, DeMarcus Cousins took a huge pay cut to join the star-studded Golden State Warriors with the hope of rebuilding his value and winning his first NBA championship title. Unfortunately, Cousins wasn’t able to achieve any of his goals. Aside from the Warriors’ failed three-peat, Cousins also didn’t get any decent offers in the 2019 NBA free agency.
After receiving limited interest on the free agency market, DeMarcus Cousins is once again forced to sign a cheap contract, this time with the Los Angeles Lakers. In an interview with Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN , Cousins revealed why he decided to reunite with his former Kentucky and New Orleans Pelicans teammate Anthony Davis in Los Angeles.
“We realized how much better we made one another and how much we made the game easier for each other,” Cousins said. “We both appreciate each other’s presence. To add LeBron James to the mix, his résumé speaks for itself. One of the greatest players ever to play the game, added to that, it should be an exciting season.”
DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis were teammates in New Orleans for one-and-a-half seasons. At first, Cousins and Davis struggled to coexist in the Pelicans’ frontcourt, but they managed to build good chemistry in their second year of playing together. In his final season with the Pelicans, Cousins posted incredible numbers, averaging 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 1.6 steals on 47 percent shooting from the field and 35.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
DeMarcus Cousins says he’s feeling healthy, and he’s also excited to see what he, Anthony Davis and LeBron James can do for the Lakers this season. https://t.co/deDYviz58E pic.twitter.com/FGyzoIRBuu
— Silver Screen and Roll (@LakersSBN) July 11, 2019
After suffering multiple injuries in the postseason, DeMarcus Cousins has shown a noticeable improvement with his physique this summer. Cousins also claimed that his quad is already 100 percent healed. If he manages to return to his All-Star form, the Lakers could have one of the most formidable frontcourt duos in the league next season.
The Lakers may have failed to acquire Kawhi Leonard in the 2019 NBA free agency, but they still managed to fill their roster with quality veterans. Aside from DeMarcus Cousins, the Lakers signed Jared Dudley, Danny Green, Avery Bradley, Quinn Cook, and Troy Daniels. The Lakers also decided to bring back some of their own free agents like Rajon Rondo, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, JaVale McGee, and Alex Caruso.
With the current talents on their roster, DeMarcus Cousins strongly believes that the Lakers have a legitimate chance of contending for the NBA championship title in the 2019-20 NBA season.
“The roster is incredible,” Cousins said. “On paper, we look legit, we look like we have a great chance of competing for a title.”
However, despite currently having one of the most talented rosters in the league, DeMarcus Cousins thinks that the Lakers shouldn’t be overconfident, saying that there are still lots of things that they need to do, especially with their chemistry. Cousins’ performance in the 2019-20 NBA season will be crucial as it will determine his value once he becomes an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2020.
