NBA Schedule 2018-19: When does DeMarcus Cousins play the Pelicans?

DeMarcus Cousins is now a member of the Warriors, but when will he be matched up against his former teammate Anthony Davis?

Apart from LeBron James signing with the Los Angeles Lakers, no other free agency decision sent shockwaves around the NBA quite like DeMarcus Cousins joining the Golden State Warriors on a one-year, $5.3 million deal.

For those who were already worried about the seeming inevitability of the Warriors winning the championship this season, the signing of Cousins only added to those concerns as their starting lineup, once Cousins returns from his Achilles tear, will feature five All-NBA players in their primes.

The Warriors are scheduled to meet Cousins’ former team, the New Orleans Pelicans, three times this season, although with Cousins returning from the torn Achilles, his availability is still in doubt.

With the Warriors not in a position to need to rush Cousins back, the first matchup between the teams on Oct. 31 at Golden State may not include the former Pelicans All-Star.

It’s more likely Cousins will be in uniform for the other two meetings: at Golden State on Jan. 16 and in New Orleans on April 9.

Even though the Warriors are sure to be heavy favorites, the matchups between the Pelicans and the Warriors promise to be good games between two likely playoff teams, and six of the best players in the NBA.

There does not appear to be any bad blood between Cousins and the New Orleans Pelicans team that he left, especially after they were able to sweep the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the playoffs and appear like a team to watch regardless of his presence.

In fact, some believe that the Pelicans may actually be better without Cousins, however much that belief may go against one’s immediate intuition.

In fact, it appears that the Pelicans were hesitant to offer Cousins a max salary, fearful that his Achilles injury would keep him from returning to his All-NBA self in the coming years.

Consequently, Cousins opted to sign with the Warriors on a short-term deal for cheap in the hopes of proving himself and earning a larger salary next summer.