Cousins’ return could be soon

Injured center targets Jan. 18 against Clippers

OAKLAND >> All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins has targeted Jan. 18, when the Warriors play the Clippers in Los Angeles, as his return date after rehabbing his torn left Achilles tendon for the past 11 months, according to various reports.

Before the Warriors played the New York Knicks on Tuesday at Oracle Arena, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said, we don’t have a specific date yet. “We definitely are getting a lot closer than we were,” Kerr said. “It seems to me he has gotten through a barrier, conditioning wise.”

Cousins has scrimmaged with the Warriors in the past two weeks without any reported setbacks. Still, the Warriors stressed that Cousins needed to improve his conditioning, and they did not want to rush his return. Cousins injured his Achilles on Jan. 26, 2018, while playing for the New Orleans Pelicans. Medical experts put a typical recovery on that injury from eight to 12 months.

“It’s not just a sprained ankle, knee or something where once it’s healed, you feel normal,” Kerr said.” It’s more about growing accustomed to the movement and the pounding.”

Should Cousins’ expected return date hold up, he would be able to play in the Warriors’ final 37 regular-season games. Although the Warriors have mostly prioritized his presence for the postseason, they want some time to integrate him onto the roster.

Kerr plans to start Cousins with his four All-Star teammates in Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Kerr also plans to stagger Cousins with the team’s second unit. The Warriors want to utilize his 6-foot-11, 270-pound frame, his post presence, his outside shooting and passing. They remain intrigued how he will incorporate those skills among the Warriors’ All-Stars and reserves as well as how he adapts to the team’s fast pace.

“That’s been an ongoing discussion. That’s our job as a staff to figure our rotations,” Kerr said about Cousins’ role. “We have a decent idea on how we’d like to use DeMarcus and in what rotations. But we have to see it, too. It may not be as simple as this looks good on paper.”