Warriors will wait on Cousins
DeMarcus Cousins has progressed in his recovery from surgery for a torn left Achilles tendon and is doing light shooting and other skill work on the court and will be able to do noncontact work as the Golden State Warriors’ training camp begins.
Warriors general manager Bob Myers said that anyone who thinks the twotime defending champions plan to “save DeMarcus for the playoffs, I think that’s inaccurate, when he can play he’ll play.”
That doesn’t mean Cousins will be pushed to return too soon. He was reexamined last week by Richard Ferkel, the surgeon who performed his procedure, and all was positive. Myers said Cousins would be evaluated again in four weeks.
“We won’t rush him but we also won’t hold him back,” Myers said at Monday’s media day.
Cousins injured his Achilles in late January and it prematurely ended his season with the New Orleans Pelicans. Before the injury, Cousins averaged 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 48 games.
He said he’ s encouraged to be running full-court, playing one-on-one and twoon-two — and Cousins said he will be a new player when he returns: “I’m seriously like a mad man right now.”
Howard is hurting
New Washington Wizards center Dwight Howard could be sidelined at the start of training camp because of a bad back.
Wizards coach Scott Brooks said that Howard’s back is sore and his status is considered day to day.
Brooks said that “we’ll see how he feels” Tuesday, the first day of camp.
The coach said that the Wizards were “not going to rush him.”
Leonard mum
Kawhi Leonard knows that people want to know his future plans.
He’s more focused on the here and now.
Leonard spoke out as a member of the Toronto Raptors for the first time, and one of the questions he fielded at media day was about his future — specifically, whether it includes staying in Toronto past this season.
He didn’t offer any hints. Leonard said when it comes to what’s next, he looks at it “as a day-to-day process.”
Leonard said his focus “is on this year, this group that I have and striving to get to a championship. We all want to win and if you’re looking in the future you’re going to trip over the present.”
Etc.
Kristaps Porzingis said that he is taking a conservative approach to his recovery from a torn ACL and has no timetable for his return to the court. Porzingis was injured in February and the New York Knicks have said he won’t return until both the team and player are certain he is ready . ... Once his surgically repaired hip fully heals, guard Isaiah Thomas looks forward to helping the Denver Nuggets reach the playoffs. “We just have to be more consistent and take things more serious and I think that’s what I’m here for,” said Thomas, who signed a $2-million, one-year deal after ending last season with the Lakers . ... Kemba Walker, who will be an unrestricted free agent next summer, said that he would like to remain with the Charlotte Hornets. The point guard said that he doesn’t “want to be nowhere else.”