Cousins joining GS galaxy
DeMarcus Cousins will be ready to play at some point this season. And when he is, the Golden State Warriors will be waiting.
Adding a fifth AllStar to their already glitzy lineup, the two-time defending
NBA champions on Monday agreed to terms with Cousins on a one-year, $5.3 million deal — not the biggest money move on day two of the NBA free agency period, but the most intriguing.
The low-risk, high-reward deal was confirmed by two sources who spoke to Associated Press on condition of anonymity because nothing can yet be signed.
Golden State will be adding Cousins to a lineup that includes All-Stars Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, as well as a former NBA Finals MVP in Andre Iguodala.
Predictably, the Warriors are thrilled to make a move that gives them a player who averaged 25.2 points for New Orleans last season before getting hurt and has averaged 21.5 points and 11 rebounds for his career.
“The 3rd splash Brother!” Curry tweeted.
After the Warriors lost center JaVale McGee to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday as part of the flurry of moves on the first day of free agency, it took general manager Bob Myers less than a full day to replace McGee with Cousins.
The Lakers kept the moves going on Monday, adding Rajon Rondo — once a playoff rival of James, and now someone who will be giving him the ball.
A source with knowledge of the negotiations confirmed to AP that Rondo had agreed to sign a one-year contract with the Lakers for $9 million.
Like Cousins, Rondo was with the Pelicans last season. To help replace the Cousins void, New Orleans agreed to a two-year deal with former Lakers big man Julius Randle, who will now pair with his fellow Kentucky product Anthony Davis in the Pelicans frontcourt.
So in less than 24 hours, not only did the Lakers lure James out of Cleveland, but added two players who were longtime antagonists in his annual quest to win the Eastern Conference, first by agreeing to a deal with Lance Stephenson on Sunday night and then on Monday moving to convince Rondo to join what will be his sixth different NBA franchise.