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The last time DeMarcus Cousins was in uniform, he tore his Achilles in January. (Gerald Herbert / Associated Press)
What's better than having four stars in your starting lineup? What about five?
This is the state of the Golden State Warriors, after the center DeMarcus Cousins agreed Monday night to sign a one-year contract worth $ 5.3 million . The agreement, which takes over all mid-level exceptions from the Golden State taxpayer, gives the Warriors five of the original 24 players selected for the All-Star Game last year.
What remains to be seen is what version of Cousins the Warriors
One of the most versatile and highly skilled offensive centers in the NBA, Cousins was perhaps being in the midst of the best season of his career for the New Orleans pelicans when he tore his Achilles against the Houston Rockets on Jan. 26, ending his season. ESPN reported Monday night that Cousins should be out at least December or January; Earlier Monday, an officer from another team said that it seemed realistic that Cousins could be at least until February.
A tear of Achilles is perhaps the most brutal injury that a basketball player can suffer, and it is unclear whether to be able to come back as something close to the strength that He was before the injury. Still, if there was an NBA team that could afford to take a chance on Cousins and give it enough time to regain its health, it's the Warriors, who have already been the favorites to win another title next season. At some point next season, they are online to have Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Cousins available to start. The Warriors went from the Death Line to the Hamptons 5, with this quintet, the Death Star Lineup
until Cousins returns, the combination of Jordan Bell and Damian Jones – maybe with Kevon Looney , a free agent who the Warriors would like to keep if he does not receive an offer larger than the $ 2.2 million that they can match – will be the strongest.
Cousins joining the Warriors capped an odd ride of signatures on the second day of the NBA 's free agency period. He began with the Los Angeles Lakers who gave up the great man Julius Randle, and his $ 13 million pay limit, to give the former Pelicans leader Rajon Rondo a one-year contract. worth $ 9 million
At that time, the only realistic offers on the table for Cousins were going to be of the intermediate variety, from where a move to Golden State for a sudden arrival of Rondo to Los Angeles was the latest in a series of strange transactions that the Lakers have made since LeBron James enlisted Sunday night, following the signing of Lance Stephenson for the exception of the chamber and JaVale McGee for minimum. All three have a story with James, and that will make interesting theater, at least – if not necessarily brilliant results on the ground.
[Is LeBron James Aware of the Lakers added Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson and JaVale McGee?]
As it stands, it's hard to pretend that the team James left in Cleveland to have more talented than the one he inherited in Southern California. Meanwhile, JJ Redick has agreed to a one-year deal for about $ 13 million to stay with the Philadelphia 76ers, essentially taking half of Philadelphia's remaining spot. The Sixers can now pursue deep pieces to complete their lineup, possibly including another shooter on the wing, perhaps another wing defender and a backup center to bridge a few minutes behind the star Joel Embiid
A $ 36 million deal with striker Derrick Favors, with a second season entirely unsecured. The move allows Utah, who has a strong belief in his internal development (supported by the amazing growth of rookie Donovan Mitchell last season), to keep his five beginners while retaining flexibility for next summer, when the Jazz hopes to make a big splash in free agency. The Utah's attention will turn to Dante Exum, a low-level playmaker, whom the Jazz has also signaled will want to maintain in the long run.
Finally, Oklahoma City Thunder has accepted a one – year contract with a player option. a second with the center of the free agent Nerlens Noel. The agreement, which is for the minimum, is far, far away from the four-year, $ 70 million that Noel has refused with the Dallas Mavericks last summer as a restricted free agent, before it's over. accepting a qualifying offer to become an unrestricted free Oklahoma City, however, is excited about the prospect of having Noel in his system, and hopes to use his track and field in pick-and-roll combinations with Russell Westbrook as Steven Adams and previously, Enes Kanter did it successfully. For a team that did not have much behind Adams last season, Noel should have plenty of opportunities to play and prove himself, which would allow him to test the free agency again. Next summer, while the market should be more favorable.
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