Now that the NBA calendar has moved into January, DeMarcus Cousins’ debut with the Golden State Warriors seems like it could happen at any point. Cousins tore his achilles while he was a member of the New Orleans Pelicans last year, and he’s spent this season working with his new squad to get back to 100 percent.
Steve Kerr gives updates on how Cousins is doing every now and then, and on Tuesday, he gave some more clarity into the situation. According to Kerr, the hope is that Cousins will make his Warriors debut sometime in the next 20 games, as his conditioning — which is oftentimes the issue in the final weeks of rehabilitating an injury — has turned a corner in recent days.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr says he plans to incorporate DeMarcus Cousins over next 20 games although it sounds sooner rather than later. “It’s closer now. The conditioning has got over a barrier,” Kerr said. Kerr wouldn’t offer a date.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) January 9, 2019
Steve Kerr had an optimistic tone in regard to DeMarcus Cousins' return in the near future. "All I can tell you is [his return] is closer now. Because the last week his scrimmaging looks much better. It seems to me he's gotten through a barrier, conditioning-wise."
— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) January 9, 2019
Now, the question is when in these next 20 games — the last of which would be on Feb. 25 in Charlotte — will Cousins suit up? According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, the Warriors hope to make a gigantic splash and have Cousins debut during an upcoming trip to Los Angeles in which the team plays both the Clippers and Lakers.
The target range for DeMarcus Cousins' debut with the Warriors is the team's upcoming trip to Los Angeles, @nytsports has learned. Golden State plays the Clippers on Jan. 18 and the Lakers on Jan. 21
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 9, 2019
To take things one step further, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reports that Cousins plans to be good to go for the matchup with the Clippers.
Golden State center DeMarcus Cousins plans to make his season debut against the Los Angeles Clippers on Jan. 18, a league source tells Yahoo Sports.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 9, 2019
Even if his debut gets pushed back a game, obviously it would be huge if Cousins is able to go by the time Golden State travels to play LeBron James and the Lakers. While he wouldn’t be the DeMarcus Cousins who has a claim for being the best center in the world at that point, it’d be an added dimension that makes the Warriors even more dangerous for that marquee matchup.
We’ll see if the team’s best-case scenario becomes a reality, but it’s clear that Boogie will be back sometime soon.
