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Arguably one of the most dominant big men throughout the 2010s, DeMarcus Cousins has fallen out of the league's trust tree over the past few years. Once considered an easy candidate for the Hall of Fame and budding superstar, the narrative that is connected with Boogie over his career is that he just isn't fit for the league. Whether it is his now injury-plagued tagline or attitude issue, DeMarcus Cousins can't catch a break. With the resurgence of super-teams, it should be every other contender's to look at the facts and consider signing DeMarcus Cousins to help them compete for the championship. The 30-year old big man has had quite the career, and his past production should outshine his past labels.
The former Kentucky prospect was a tremendous scoring machine while on the Sacramento Kings, but always seemed to be in the limelight for the wrong reasons. He was portrayed as the drama-filled diva during his tenure with the Kings, and that stigma followed him for the rest of his career. The Kings had enough and were ready to move on, and they shipped Cousins off to New Orleans for a package of players and picks. While on the Pelicans, Boogie was putting up astronomical numbers and teamed up with rising superstar Anthony Davis and proven veteran Rajon Rondo, but ultimately fell to a torn Achilles, which changed the trajectory of his career. Multiyear max sheets from multiple suitors shifted into a mid-level exception offer from the Golden State Warriors.
Photo: Golden State Warriors Social Media
The idea of Boogie teaming up with the Splash Brothers, Draymond, and KD was a fantasy, and it had the potential to do something crazy. After spending 12 months rehabbing an Achilles tear, Cousins showed he was back to form, scoring dominant double-double's in his return. The injury bug struck him again, as Cousins was ruled out indefinitely after suffering a torn left quadriceps in Game 2 of the first round of the 2018 playoffs. He returned for the finals, but it wasn't enough for the Warriors to overcome Kawaii Leonard and the Raptors. After that season, he signed another prove-it deal, this time with the Lakers, reuniting with Anthony Davis. However, he tore his ACL in a pickup game, ultimately ended his season once again. The Lakers went on to win the championship later that year, and Boogie got his name on the ring and received one, but it doesn't matter in the eyes of his doubters, who now have labeled him as "washed."
Flash forward to 2020, and Boogie signed a 1-year deal with the rebuilding Rockets, teaming up with fellow Wildcat and friend John Wall and later Victor Oladpio. That experiment was short-lived, two months later he was waived by the team that further imploded after a brutal 20 game losing streak. Cousins averaged 9.6 points and 7.6 rebounds in 25 games with the team this season. Unfortunately, we won't be seeing any of those eye-popping 40pt/20reb stat lines from Cousins, but there is no doubt in my mind that he can still be a productive center off the bench for teams that need his size and skill. He showed flashes of his old self while in Houston and could provide that same spark to anytime who is eying to take down the reigning champion Lakers, or the newly formed superteam of the Nets.
After a crazy trade deadline, and a flurry of buyout market moves, DeMarcus Cousins still remains a free agent, and it’s unclear when that will change. There are plenty of contenders who can use some big man depth right now, mainly the Celtics and Knicks in the East, and possibly the Clippers in the West. Heck, don't close out the idea of a reunion with either the Lakers or Warriors either. As a nostalgic fan, and growing up watching Boogie being an unstoppable force and scoring machine, I would love for him to have a second chance. He looks healthy and is ready to produce, and the NBA should give this man another chance.
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