Kings’ DeMarcus Cousins will do more than ever in 2015
By Tom West
DeMarcus Cousins was formidable enough last season, but now Sacramento Kings head coach George Karl plans to use him in more ways than ever before.
DeMarcus Cousins is one of the most terrifying players in the NBA for teams to stop. From his power and finishing ability in the paint to his fierce rejections on defense, he’s emerged as one of the best young players in the league. After averaging 24.1 points, 12.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.7 blocks per game last season, he displayed a combination of physicality and skill that few players have. Without even watching footage of him, that ridiculous stat line speaks for itself.
As if that wasn’t enough, though, Sacramento Kings head coach George Karl is now planning on using Cousins in more ways than ever before on offense. Which, in case you were wondering, does mean he’s allowed to shoot threes.
It’s an incredibly tall order for that part of his game to be effective after he only made two threes last season, but if his range expands at all, Cousins will be even more unstoppable.
Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee has reported how Karl intends to diversify Cousins’ offensive game even more in 2015-16, and he’ll no longer be held in the post as often. He put up 41.9 percent of his total field goal attempts within three feet last season, and while he was incredibly difficult to slow down (he made 63.3 percent of those shots), the increased use of a mid-range game can help the Kings even more.
Jones mentioned how Karl wants Cousins to do more:
"“Cousins will not be shunning the post this season. But coach George Karl has said he will move Cousins all over the court. That includes allowing Cousins to shoot threes.”"
Not only will it allow Cousins to use his solid 38.3 percent stroke from 16 feet out, but it can draw away opposing big men from the paint as they won’t be obsessed with trying to stop Boogie in the paint. As a result, lanes to the basket for teammates and opportunities for Rajon Rondo to drive and dish will open up.
As Jones also detailed in his report, Cousins doesn’t even see himself as “just a center” anyway:
"“I don’t really consider myself a center,” Cousins said. “I’m just a basketball player. There’s so much I can do on the floor. People get stuck on the word ‘center,’ ‘big man’ and (are) kind of ignorant to the situation. I can’t really worry about that. I just go out there and do my job.”“It’s weird kind of floating out there,” Cousins said. “It’s a different thing, but I know it’s going to help the team, too. It’s just something I’ve got to adjust to and get used to.”"
As Cousins said himself, it’s going to be weird seeing him stray away from the basket at times. By taking close to half his shots within three feet and hauling in 3.1 offensive rebounds per game last season, he uses his 6’11”, 270 lbs frame to dominate his opponents in the paint. That’s just what he does. Three-point shooting, meanwhile, is going to be a far less efficient option for Cousins.
However, with solid shooting from the elbow, the ability to face-up, and agile footwork, Cousins can challenge defenders away from the basket, too. So, if teams try and compensate for Cousins’ ability from mid-range with a smaller defender, he can just as easily bully them in the post instead of being restricted to take contested jumpers like other stretch big men. On the other hand, he can just as easily use his athleticism to take slower centers off the dribble and drive to the basket.
It’s a work in progress for Cousins to stray away from his comfort zone in the paint, and he’s only made 11 threes in his five-year NBA career, but the more versatility he can muster the better. He’s already a force after ranking 5th in the league in points per game last season, so it’s not like Karl has to change his game to improve his production.
Regardless of how Karl experiments, though, the idea of DeMarcus Cousins doing even more this season — which hardly seems possible for someone of his talent — is a scary thought to say the least.