The first two days of July have been unlike anything the NBA has ever seen. That may feel like a hyperbolic statement but, with LeBron James joining the Los Angeles Lakers and DeMarcus Cousins (stunningly) choosing the Golden State Warriors in free agency, it also happens to be true.
While Cousins’ choice to accept less than $6 million from the Warriors was far more surprising than what James elected to do, the All-Star big man was seemingly always going to surprise with his choice. In fact, Chris Haynes of ESPN brings word that Cousins’ second choice happened to be the Boston Celtics.
ESPN Sources: DeMarcus Cousins had narrowed his choices down to Golden State and Boston.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 3, 2018
Like the Warriors, the Celtics would only have been able to offer Cousins a reduced rate, though Boston’s offer could have been larger than Golden State’s proposal, simply because the Celtics had the full mid-level exception ($8.64 million in year one) at their disposal. Still, this bit of reporting appears to drive home the point that Cousins was willing to take a little less than his market value in order to pursue a title and the situation in Boston, with a wildly talented roster already in place, would have been quite fun to monitor.
It’s also important to note that there clearly wasn’t a significant market out there for Cousins, as noted by The Washington Post‘s Tim Bontemps.
It also should be noted; Cousins didn't have a market for more than the mid-level after the moves that took place today. Again: it's a move the Warriors had to make. But the context does matter.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) July 3, 2018
It was uncertain exactly what Cousins' market would be when he was healthy. After suffering an Achilles tear, it shrank further. Plus, again: he won't be ready until during the season. Hard for a lot of teams to sign a guy who won't play for half of it. https://t.co/gOK9XCgtiZ
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) July 3, 2018
In the end, Cousins chose the clearest path to a title and the Warriors will provide him with all kinds of time to rehabilitate an Achilles injury that sidelined him at the end of last season. It will always be interesting to think about what might have been if Cousins chose the team many favor to win the Eastern Conference without him but, instead, the always entertaining big man chose to improve the gauntlet already in place in Oakland.
