DeMarcus Cousins is ‘very open’ to re-signing with Pelicans
DeMarcus Cousins insists he isn’t going to rush any decisions about his future, but the center does admit he is ‘very open’ to re-signing with the Pelicans.
There’s been a lot of conjecture about how DeMarcus Cousins and the New Orleans Pelicans view their respective futures. In the mind of the talented big man, returning to the Pelicans is at least a possibility.
That doesn’t mean Cousins is dead set on a return, though. He told ESPN that he plans to “make the absolute best decision” for himself. He also admits that he expects the Pelicans to do what’s best for their organization too. Essentially, Cousins refused to close the door on re-signing with the Pelicans but he acknowledged that anything could happen.
Obviously, Cousin’s Achilles injury has complicated the situation. The prolific center is planning to be ready for training camp, but that’s a very optimistic return date. It’s much more likely that Cousins will miss a significant portion of the 2018-19 season. That fact, in and of itself, really complicates the question of his value.
What’s even more concerning is the checkered history of basketball players trying to recover from this injury. Not so long ago, it was something from which athletes simply did not come back. Dominique Wilkins’ career ended a result of a torn Achilles.
Recently, players have shown more of an ability to return to the NBA and play at a high level. Rudy Gay and Wes Matthews have both managed to overcome the injury and become good players again. Neither has necessarily returned to the heights they showed earlier in their career, but they’ve both been good rotation pieces for their teams.
Of course, Cousins doesn’t want to be paid like an above average rotation piece. Early indications are that he will seek the maximum in free agency this summer. New Orleans have the option to pay him that amount. The question is whether or not they’re ready to completely wed themselves to their current core. Giving Cousins a maximum deal would handcuff their financial flexibility for years to come.
The team’s spirited run in this season’s playoffs also will give the Pelicans front office pause about overpaying Cousins. Some believe the team looked better pushing the pace after Cousins went down. The player calls that notion “silly,” but there are some people in New Orleans who completely buy into that idea.
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Add it all up and it’s clear that Cousins is one of the most divisive free agent targets of the summer. He certainly could end up back in New Orleans, but there are a lot of other scenarios in play as well.