The New Orleans Pelicans are on a roll in the postseason, fresh off a sweep of the Portland Trail Blazers. Handling the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference with ease has brought up the potential for big changes in Portland, both with coaching and players on the roster.
While the Pelicans are riding high right now as they get ready for a likely showdown with the Warriors in the second round, they too will also have some big decisions to make this summer. The biggest one is what to do with DeMarcus Cousins, who is currently missing this postseason with a ruptured Achilles which is an injury that has derailed many NBA careers.
Anthony Davis, the superstar largely credited for keeping the Pelicans afloat in Cousins’ absence, wants to see the team re-sign him this summer, but Cousins could go elsewhere in free agency if he’s tempted, or if the offer isn’t what he wants from New Orleans.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe wrote about the DeMarcus Cousins Problem on Tuesday and had some details about just what the Pelicans might do with their options this summer. While New Orleans will likely make an offer on the big man, it might not be the long-term deal or for the amount of money the forward will want.
The Pelicans have broached internally the idea of offering Cousins a two- or three-year deal at less than the max, per sources familiar with the discussions. I would not expect that to go over well with Cousins’ camp. But the Pelicans have the dual leverage of winning without Cousins and a tepid market for him.
Only a half-dozen or so teams have max-level space this season, and most won’t pursue Cousins at that level, sources say.
One interesting note from the piece is that Nikola Mirotic, who New Orleans acquired earlier in the season, was not seen as a replacement for Cousins after his injury. The team had been looking to add him for some time before Cousins’ injury. The two have not played together, of course, but the point is that the Pelicans are still very much interested in having both on the roster moving forward.
Having Cousins’ Bird rights makes the price tag a non-issue for their ability to sign him, but where they see his value coming off of an Achilles injury (and considering their success without him this postseason) is something we won’t know until we get to free agency.
