Golden State Warriors frontcourt target: DeMarcus Cousins
If there’s one upcoming free agent the Warriors should stay away from, it’s DeMarcus Cousins. Now, there are a plethora of reasons to pass on Cousins, the most notable being his lengthy history of health problems.
However, on the court, while he did show some signs of life with the Clippers, Cousins is a major liability.
Offensively, he’s a turnover machine, averaging 4.3 turnovers per 36 minutes in the regular season. That stayed exactly the same throughout his six postseason games as well.
Cousins is averaging 28.8 points and 16.8 rebounds per 36 minutes in the playoffs which is extremely solid, but one can’t disregard his 12.0 personal fouls in that time. That goes down to 5.7 per 36 minutes for the Clips in the regular season.
Once a capable defender, Cousins has fallen off and gets torn apart in the pick-and-roll.
His best use is for a quick spark off the bench, which is what Ty Lue has used him for during the postseason. While he could provide that, the Warriors are going to need a consistent spark that can produce results on a nightly basis. It doesn’t seem likely Cousins could fill that role.
Verdict: Pass