The Warriors now have four-time All-Star at the center position, but is new free agent signing DeMarcus Cousins a good fit in Golden State?
The Warriors already seemed stacked with four All-Stars in their starting lineup, but they will now have All-Stars at all five starting spots when DeMarcus Cousins recovers from his Achilles injury.
Golden State has added the most skilled center in the league.
Boogie scored 25+ points per game in each of the past three seasons, and he was scoring pretty efficiently before being injured last season with a true shooting percentage of 58.2%.
He also dished out 5.4 assists per game and dominated on the boards with 12.9 rebounds.
Cousins loves to have the ball in his hands, and normally good things happen when he’s asked to make a play. However, he did turn the ball over 5 times per game, which hurts his overall efficiency numbers.
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Even with another All-Star in the lineup in Anthony Davis, Cousins had a usage percentage of 31.9% last season. That would have been the highest usage percentage in Golden State above former MVP’s Steph Curry and Kevin Durant.
The Warriors probably won’t let Boogie handle the ball that much next season, but it may be difficult for him to transition to an off-ball role.
One skill that will help make that transition smoother is Cousins’ incredible shooting ability.
He’s shot over 35% from three in each of the past two years, and he’s put up at least 5 attempts per game in each of those two seasons. That type of shooting at the center position will space the floor even more for Golden State.
Next: Warriors: Is Adding DeMarcus Cousins Worth the Risk?
Cousins’ fit in the Warriors’ offense will be determined by his health and his willingness to give up the ball.
If Boogie can get 75% of his athleticism back and he avoids being a ball hog, Golden State’s offense could be completely unstoppable next season. But it remains to be seen whether either of those things will happen.