NBA Free Agency: Why Cousins doesn’t pass OKC Thunder litmus test
By Noah Schulte
After a scary Achilles’ tear, DeMarcus Cousins is entering NBA free agency. Will teams line up to offer the max and should OKC make moves to enter the sweepstakes?
DeMarcus Cousins is about to enter one of the most fascinating NBA Free Agency periods in recent memory. He’s an obviously elite individual talent with a wide-ranging skillset that no one else can quite replicate. And, in the right situation could be an MVP candidate–like he was at least for some of this year.
He’s also coming off of a scary Achilles’ injury. Moreover, he’s yet to play in the NBA playoffs, and is known as one of the most immature players in the league.
Yet, some team on the free agent market could still throw max-contract level money at Cousins this year. It could be the Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, or a dark horse third candidate. Regardless, he’ll likely be able to persuade someone to give him the money he’s asking for.
Here’s why:
- Height: 6’11”
- Position: Center
- Age: 27
- Years of experience in NBA: 8
- Type of Free Agent: Unrestricted
- Hometown: Mobile Alabama
- Salary the previous season: $18,063,850 (Spotrac)
| Season | FG% | 3PA | 3P% | 2P% | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-11 | .430 | 0.2 | .167 | .435 | .687 | 8.6 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 3.3 | 14.1 |
| 2011-12 | .448 | 0.2 | .143 | .453 | .702 | 11.0 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 18.1 |
| 2012-13 | .465 | 0.3 | .182 | .471 | .738 | 9.9 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 3.0 | 17.1 |
| 2013-14 | .496 | 0.1 | .000 | .499 | .726 | 11.7 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 3.5 | 22.7 |
| 2014-15 | .467 | 0.1 | .250 | .469 | .782 | 12.7 | 3.6 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 4.3 | 24.1 |
| 2015-16 | .451 | 3.2 | .333 | .473 | .718 | 11.5 | 3.3 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 3.8 | 26.9 |
| 2016-17 | .452 | 5.0 | .361 | .483 | .772 | 11.0 | 4.6 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 3.7 | 27.0 |
| 2016-17 | .452 | 4.9 | .356 | .482 | .770 | 10.6 | 4.8 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 3.8 | 27.8 |
| 2016-17 | .452 | 5.6 | .375 | .486 | .777 | 12.4 | 3.9 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 3.6 | 24.4 |
| 2017-18 | .470 | 6.1 | .354 | .530 | .746 | 12.9 | 5.4 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 5.0 | 25.2 |
| Career | .460 | 1.7 | .338 | .474 | .737 | 11.0 | 3.2 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 3.6 | 21.5 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/24/2018.
Strengths
Despite his myriad of problems both on and off the court (which we’ll get to later), Boogie is undeniably one of the most talented big men in the league. With his unique combination of brute strength, and guard-like shooting and ball handling, there aren’t many centers quite like him. And that’s pretty much his biggest selling point.
Because he’s not necessarily a spectacular athlete, he’s figured out how to become unstoppable in other ways. His dominance on the block forces teams to push him to the perimeter. There his three point shooting gives way to open lanes to the basket. And, his size driving to the hole opens up passing windows.
The Film:
Just watch him blow by bigs after just the mere threat of his shooting:
Sure, he doesn’t always make the best decision when he makes his way into the lane. This is evidenced by his turnovers. Still, the fact he can blow by players his size and makes plays like a guard is a minor miracle.
Even though he has quite a repertoire on the perimeter, he doesn’t sacrifice an ounce of his game inside. Look how he bullies Kenneth Faried as if he weren’t there:
He’s not the most conventional post scorer and consistently takes shots–like the one above. That would land any other player on the bench. But his knack for hitting them makes him an even more dynamic option offensively.
Furthermore, his game is almost tailor-made to last. Size and strength are the few physical gifts that don’t tend to leave until much later in life (see: Mike Bibby) and the vast majority of tools in his ever-growing toolbox don’t project to leave him any time soon.
For example plays like this one below. Even if his speed isn’t there, the tools that gave him such a magnetic pull for defenses and the handles that got him to the hole will be:
Cousins isn’t really excellent at any one thing offensively (1.01 points per possession spotting up, 1.23 cutting, .88 posting up), but his aggregate game is remarkable. He is too old to really be a unicorn, but his skillset is honestly freakish.