Sources: Houston Rockets to waive DeMarcus Cousins

There's Danny's big who can score.

Problem is, he doesn't defend.

Might have been a more tempting target a few years ago.
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Sources: Houston Rockets to waive DeMarcus Cousins

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30950273/source-houston-rockets-waive-demarcus-cousins

Tim MacMahon
ESPN Staff Writer

The Houston Rockets are on the verge of releasing center DeMarcus Cousins on Tuesday after a mutual decision was made between the team and the big man to part ways, sources confirmed to ESPN.

Cousins, whose veterans minimum salary of $2.3 million was guaranteed by the Rockets last week as a token of gratitude, will explore interest from other teams.

Cousins, 30, a four-time All-Star attempting to resuscitate his career after a series of serious injuries, averaged 9.6 points and 7.6 rebounds while shooting only 37.6% from the floor in 25 games with the Rockets.

Sources said Cousins was not happy with his role as a backup center behind Christian Wood, wanting more playing time. Rockets coach Stephen Silas did not consider playing Wood and Cousins together, as he wants to use Wood solely as a center.

The Rockets have lost their past eight games after Wood, Houston's leading scorer and rebounder, went down with a sprained right ankle. Cousins, whose defensive limitations were an issue, averaged 12.1 points and 9.0 rebounds during the stretch before sitting out Monday's loss to the Chicago Bulls due to a heel injury.

Cousins has bounced around the league the past few seasons after rupturing his Achilles tendon during the 2017-18 season while with the New Orleans Pelicans. He then signed with the Golden State Warriors but tore his quadriceps muscle in the 2018-19 season. Cousins joined the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2019-20 campaign but tore his ACL before ever suiting up for the team.

He has averaged 20.8 points and 10.7 rebounds for his career since being drafted by the Sacramento Kings with the No. 5 pick in the 2010 draft.

The Athletic first reported news of Cousins' impending release.

He will probably be an upgrade in our roster depleted of good role players. High risk with his lacking defense and injury history imo.

I bet the Lakers get him and he plays great for them. Why would he even want to come to Boston at this point? Seems to me the time when the Celtics were a good destination for free agents is perhaps gone.

Yes, word so far has him most likely going to Lakers.

My sources indicate that Ainge is interested. Cousins meets his (rumored) top priority for signing free agents; Recent Injury History.

gyso wrote:My sources indicate that Ainge is interested.  Cousins meets his (rumored) top priority for signing free agents; Recent Injury History.

LOL!!!

Hey, if the price is right and he can show case his talent for next year, sign the SOB! He cannot be any worst then what we have now at center!

112288

Went to Lakers.

Hassan Whiteside 'a possible target' for Lakers as a DeMarcus Cousins reunion is unlikely, per report

ESPN By Sam Quinn

The Los Angeles Lakers cleared a roster spot Monday night when they decided to waive guard Quinn Cook, and with Anthony Davis still out due to injury, the immediate speculation was that they would look to add a big man to help deal with his absence. The most prominent available big man is DeMarcus Cousins, who spent part of last season on the Laker roster, and reports had already linked the two sides for a possible reunion.

But according to Brad Turner and Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times, Cousins returning to the Lakers is unlikely at this point. They are reporting that the Lakers are not going to immediately fill Cook's spot, which makes sense. The Lakers are pressed up against the hard cap, and the longer they wait to fill their two vacant roster spots, the cheaper the pro-rated minimum contracts they offer free agents will be. That will allow them to keep a few extra dollars under the hard cap line in case they need to make a slightly unbalanced trade at the deadline.

A possible target, according to Turner and Woike, is Sacramento Kings big man Hassan Whiteside. The Kings have fallen to No. 11 in the Western Conference and Whiteside is playing only 14.6 minutes per game, his lowest total since becoming a starter during the 2014-15 season. What he would offer the Lakers at the moment is sorely needed size. They do not currently have a seven-footer on the roster, and with Davis out, the Lakers have struggled to defend the rim. Whiteside does not defend the perimeter well at all, but routinely racks up some of the highest block totals in basketball. Whiteside would likely struggle to earn minutes in the postseason when Davis will likely slide back over to center for the bulk of his minutes. However, he could help fill a regular-season void.


The Lakers waived Cook for flexibility above all else. It was a sign that Rob Pelinka believes that this roster needs to be upgraded. What form that will take remains to be seen, but if he indeed plans to take his time as this report suggests, that indicates that virtually anything could be on the table for the Lakers.

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Hassan Whiteside 'a possible target' for Lakers as a DeMarcus Cousins reunion is unlikely, per report
Get him Danny
112288

112288 wrote:Hassan Whiteside 'a possible target' for Lakers as a DeMarcus Cousins reunion is unlikely, per report
Get him Danny
112288

Who - Cousins or Whiteside?

You know what, it does not matter - get SOMEONE Danny!