Getty DeMarcus Cousins will miss the first few months of the season.
DeMarcus Cousins will miss the start of the Warriors season, and it could be 2019 before we see Boogie in a Golden State uniform. Cousins signed a one-year deal with the Warriors this offseason and is recovering from a torn Achilles.
“I’m feeling a lot better than I was seven months ago,” Cousins told ESPN. “You know, it’s been a grind. It’s been an adventure to say the least. But I’m in a lot better place now. Physically I’m coming along great. As of right now, hasn’t been any setbacks, and I feel a lot stronger. I’m getting my feet back under me, and I’m starting to feel like an athlete again.”
There has been no official timetable released for Cousins’ return, but initial reports when he was signed indicated Cousins may not play until the start of 2019. Warriors GM Bob Myers refuted the report that Cousins would not see action until the playoffs.
“I know there’s a narrative that we’ll save DeMarcus for the playoffs. That’s inaccurate,” Myers explained to ESPN. “When he can play, he’ll play. We won’t rush him, but we also won’t hold him back. We need time for him to acclimate; we need to acclimate for him. But it’s an exciting thing for our whole team to look forward to.”
Cousins knows several of the Warriors players from their time together on Team USA. It sounds like the team has already begun to bond. Cousins lives in the same neighborhood as new teammate Draymond Green, who apparently likes to come over unannounced to eat some of his food.
“I pop over to his house quite a bit,” Green told The Undefeated. “We live right there. I just walk in his kitchen and just go to the house. And then I call him and tell him I’m in his house. Yeah, multiple times.”
Steph Curry has been outspoken about his belief that Cousins can bring out the best in the Warriors.
“In the right situation, he definitely can shine,” Curry said per NBC Sports. “His presence in the locker room is going to be solid for sure. You appreciate a guy like that who has an extreme passion for the game. He wears his emotions on his sleeve, and that’s great. I think in the right situation that he’s in right now with us will ultimately bring the best out of him and bring even greater things out of us. I’m excited about it.”