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By moving big man Daniel Theis ahead of the NBA trade deadline, the Boston Celtics seemingly indicated that they were ready to give Robert Williams III a chance to man the middle in Beantown. And the early returns have been incredibly promising.
In his two games since joining the starting five, Williams has averaged eight points, nearly 12 rebounds, four assists, 3.5 blocks and two steals per contest.
Still, Celtics GM Danny Ainge clearly believes that the Celtics could use more firepower in the frontcourt as they work to salvage their season. He proved as much by courting Andre Drummond before the big man apparently opted to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The team had also been linked to LaMarcus Aldridge, who ultimately chose to join the Brooklyn Nets.
Nevertheless, Ainge and his brain trust may still have their sights set on inking a player to help Williams shoulder the load down low.
Perhaps even another former All-Star.
Celtics Rumored to be Considering DeMarcus Cousins
Per a Twitter report from the NBA Analysis Network’s Evan Massey on Sunday, Boston has explored the possibility of bringing DeMarcus Cousins to the Massachusetts Bay.
“#Celtics expected to consider signing DeMarcus Cousins after missing out on Andre Drummond, source tells @HoopAnalysisNet,” he wrote. “Would be solid front-court depth behind Robert Williams.”
Cousins, who was one of the best big men in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans before injuries felled him, last played for the Houston Rockets. In 25 appearances for the Rockets (11 starts) he put up just under 10 points and eight rebounds in 20 minutes per game.
He was waived by Houston in February after the two sides mutually agreed that they should part ways. Cousins had joined the Rockets on a veterans minimum contract in November.
From Superstar to Hoops Vagabond
Although Cousins’ maturity and willingness to sacrifice for his team was a source of angst in his early career, his natural talent was never in question. Over parts of seven seasons in Sacramento, he averaged 21 points, 11 boards and three assists per contest.
When NOLA made the move to acquire him and pair him with Anthony Davis, the results were even better. By that point, he had added the three-point shot to his arsenal and was working hard to shed his image as a bad teammate.
In his second season with the Pels, he had helped make the team a presence in the playoff race before he suffered a torn left Achilles tendon during a January 2018 game against the Rockets.
At that point, his career trajectory took a significant turn.
The following season, he played in 30 games for the Golden State Warriors after being forced to settle for a deal for the mid-level exception. And while he played reasonably well for them, he had clearly lost a step in the wake of his injury.
He was aiming to take the next step in his comeback tour the following year with the Lakers, signing a one-year deal to reunite with Davis in La-La Land. However, he suffered an ACL tear during an offseason pick-up game and was ultimately forced to sit out for the entirety of the 2019-20 campaign.
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