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Shopping for a car, what I was trying to do yesterday, is not a good experience. It's a huge financial commitment, of course. But what makes it scary, is that it's actually a referendum on who you are and how you are heading in the world – and what are the long-term implications of the major choices when you start inexorably towards the end of your life. this planet (or, if you are Elon Musk, the planet of your choice).
I do not talk about that because I want moral support or you find my personal stressors more interesting than the latest big NBA news. I am really torn between making a responsible and extravagant decision. It's a level of internal conflict that has made me unfit. And that is exactly what I felt when I learned that DeMarcus Cousins was joining the Warriors.
As some of you already know, Cousins is my favorite player in the NBA. He has evolved to become undoubtedly the most dominant and skilled men in the game. It's a massive physical presence, the kind of seven-foot-tall that recalls a pre-small era ball. You will be demolished. But Cousins also has an innate sense of where the basket is at all times and a touch of feather that makes him look in the paint all but a chore. His game is extended. Cousins incorporated a three-point shot and now confidently manages the ball. Cousins is a faithful bouncer; he catches 20 each night. He is an accomplished smuggler and when he wants to be, an imposing defender. Cousins are not only very good at playing basketball. It is an important intersection from where the game has been and where it is heading.
What sets Cousins apart, and why he inspires such a fervent devotion of fans like me, is that he is also one of the greatest personalities of the sport. Cousins has earned an early reputation for a bad work ethic and in the ability to keep his feelings to himself. As his career continues, it has become clear that, like Rasheed Wallace before him, Cousins is such an emotionally naive player that he struggles to contain himself. This is not a brat, he just wants to win so badly. At the same time, he is an imperfect player who does not always seem to know what to do himself or how to fully exploit his vast potential. That does not mean that Cousins is totally irreproachable. But it's his expressiveness and his passion, not to mention a sincere warmth for teammates and fans, which makes him so loved.
Of course, Cousins is in a bullshit situation in his career. Thanks to modern medicine, an Achilles tear is no longer a death sentence. Yet we have never seen a player the size of Cousins, let alone one who moves like him, recovering completely. By going into the free agency, there were real questions about whether teams would want to take a risk on a mega deal for him, especially with so many other great talents involved. He had a great affinity for his teammates in New Orleans, but he would also have paralyzed them if they were not in good health. There were rumors that he could join LeBron in Los Angeles, but again, no one seemed confident that he was the missing piece, especially considering his current situation. With so many questions around him, Cousins has gone from the centerpiece to the joker.
That does not mean, however, that someone saw it coming. At first, he struck absurdity. The Warriors were already invaded by the Hall of Famers when they added Kevin Durant as insurance. Bringing on Cousins, who at his peak is an all-NBA player, is close to trolling. If the Durant signature has destroyed the league's competitive balance, it gives the impression that other players have simply given up on beating Golden State. Again, all this assumes that Cousins has chosen a derisory one – year contract, $ 5.3 million and an almost certain title on a host of other offers. Given the precarious state of his career, it is quite possible that no one would lock Cousins in the long run at a massive salary. Cousins' decision, discordant as it is, is also a sober indication of the uncertainty surrounding her health. He probably could have made more money elsewhere, maybe for a longer guarantee period. But these options were not promising enough to beat the Warriors, suggesting that they were not really overwhelming.
There is something deeply sad about seeing Cousins reduced to a bet. But he joins Golden State, although his return to form is not guaranteed, poses a real dilemma. I am not an inveterate enemy of the Warriors. They built their team through the rough draft and then signed a big name free agent because why not them? I do not think they owe anything to the league or its fans. Their supposed to be winning titles. It's a pleasure to watch when everything clicks, even though I wish it to happen more often. And, to the extent that it makes sense to feel that, I really like their players. But there is no doubt that the Warriors, even if they make the right decisions for themselves, are bad for the NBA. They make the league less convincing, if not a big waste of life. And it's no secret that the organization, its fans, and yes, sometimes even the players, evoke Silicon Valley and other disturbing neoliberal trends (look at the word, this does not matter!) is not empty) in a way that leaves a bad taste in the mouth
That's why I wonder what to do with it. I have never judged Kevin Durant for signing with Golden State. He was fully entitled to do so and time will tell what narrative he can build for himself and how history will judge him. Given my strong affinity with Cousins, I am even less inclined to accuse him of being in the vanguard. I just can not do it – my love for Boogie is unconditional and knows no bounds. The hard part is to admit that this can only happen because Cousins is on the brink of inadequacy. I would prefer to see him in good health and selling rather than having to spend a year proving that he can play (and, as we have reported, polish his image) and that yes, get this championship that would certainly escape him.
DeMarcus Cousins was one of the best players in the league before his agency and maybe it's more than an afterthought. It's a hard pill to swallow. But I would rather see it flourish, if only in limited capacity and in dubious circumstances, than its next season becomes a debacle. It may not be the Cousins DeMarcus I want to see. In the end, however, I want what is best for him. And that's probably it.
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