The Warriors got an incredible bargain by signing DeMarcus Cousins to a one-year deal. Will he choose to stay in Golden State beyond 2019?
DeMarcus Cousins fell into the Warriors’ laps this offseason as the center market dried up quickly and not many teams wanted to take a chance on a 280-pound center that was coming off of a ruptured Achilles.
Golden State was one of the only teams in a position to take that type of risk, and the risk became much smaller when they got Boogie to agree on a one-year deal worth $5.3 million.
It remains to be seen whether Cousins will come back to full health after this Achilles injury, but he has the potential to be a perfect fit in Golden State.
He can abuse opposing defenders in the post if defenses employ the “switch everything” scheme that the Rockets had some success with in the Western Conference Finals. Boogie is also an above-average passer and he can stretch the floor from the center position to provide room for the rest of Golden State’s All-Stars to run the offense.
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It’s tough to speculate on Cousins’ future with the Warriors before he’s played a single minute with the team. However, his contract situation will determine what Golden State’s roster looks like in the future.
Klay Thompson is currently set to be a free agent next offseason, and Kevin Durant could be a free agent as well if he declines the player option on his contract.
If Boogie shows any flashes of the talent he had before the Achilles injury, he should earn a lot more than $5.3 million per year as a free agent in 2019. The Warriors will already have to pay an exorbitant luxury tax to keep four All-Stars on the roster, and they will probably not have enough money to keep Cousins in Golden State.
Golden State is hoping to make the most out of their one-year deal with Boogie and get him his first championship ring.
Here’s our analysis of the other Warriors contract situations: