Getty Gallery: 3/6
No. 4 DeMarcus Cousins, New Orleans Pelicans
Cousins is arguably one of the top free agents on the market, but it is not clear how many teams will be willing to give him near max money. The market for NBA big men continues to shrink, and Cousins has had questions surrounding him (fair or unfair) throughout his career. ESPN's Zach Lowe reported on a podcast with Bill Simmons that there is not a market for Cousins based on the above reasons as well as his injury.
“There’s no market for DeMarcus Cousins outside Dallas and then you have to go into sign-and-trade world," Lowe reported (via Hoops Hype. "The Lakers are obviously out there too. People react like, ‘No, Cousins is a star, ever team will be willing to pay him the max.’ OK, who? He’s a big man coming off an Achilles tear and half the teams [with cap room] don’t want to spend their cap room because they’re bad."
If that's true, his options are likely to re-sign with the Pelicans, or go to a bad team with cap space who is willing to potentially overpay him. In an interview with The Undefeated, Cousins noted he has enjoyed his time in New Orleans, but also admitted he will be focusing on the business side of things.
"I know for a fact my teammates want me back there, but you know it’s a business," Cousins told The Undefeated. "The people in the front office are going to make the best decision for the team or whatever they feel is the best decision. You know, we’ll see what happens. I honestly can’t answer that question, I haven’t spoken to the front office in a while, so we’ll see what happens...Oh yeah, for sure. This is my first time in free agency, but I’ve been around this business long enough. I know how things work. I’m not out here trying to hold a grudge or anything like that. I’m going to make the best decision for me, and I believe teams are going to do the same thing."
Cousins told The Undefeated he is targeting a return for the beginning of the season, but noted the doctors have not given him a timetable. All of this makes Cousins one of the more interesting free agency cases this summer. If he would have been a free agents a couple years ago when the cap initially went up, there is no doubt Cousins would have had multiple max contract offers. Now, it is less clear. It does not help that the Pelicans went on a run in Cousins' absence, but it still seems likely that New Orleans are the most likely candidate to give him a sizable offer. Cousins high school coach Otis Hughley spoke to Basketball and Society about how he fits next to Anthony Davis.
“I would like to see him play with AD again, but the way the business model was set up, and the salary cap may make it tougher for New Orleans to step out there," Hughley explained to Basketball and Society. "I think everybody is trying to play leverage and hoping that everybody would fall out so they could get him for 10 cents on the dollar. Demarcus is way too smart for that.”