Instant reactions to the Milwaukee Bucks signing DeMarcus Cousins

General manager Jon Horst has always taken an aggressive approach when it comes to patching up the biggest needs for the Milwaukee Bucks, which is precisely what he just did.

As reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Bucks are signing big man DeMarcus Cousins to a one-year non-guaranteed deal. It seems safe to say that this move is surprising, but it makes sense. Of course, the Buck have been without starting center Brook Lopez for all but one game to start the season as he continues dealing with lingering back soreness. With Lopez not returning to the lineup anytime soon it seems, bringing in another center was a great idea. In fact, Cousins is a name that many Bucks fans wanted to see the team make a run at, which is what they have just done with their final roster spot.

How will DeMarcus Cousins fit in with the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks after signing a non-guaranteed deal?

Obviously, Cousins will give the Bucks another big body in the frontcourt, which is something they have lacked in Lopez’s absence. Bobby Portis has done a fantastic job since taking Lopez’s place in the starting five, but the bench is incredibly thin. This has forced Giannis Antetokounmpo to play a career-high 62 percent of his minutes at center this season, which is not something that the team would like to continue throughout the entire season. Cousins will come in and give the Bucks a big body to give them solid minutes in the frontcourt and alleviate that constant pressure off of the Greek Freak.

Cousins might not be the four-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA honoree player that he once was as injuries have plagued him over the past few years, but he will be a solid addition to bring aboard some much-needed depth. Out of all the centers now available on the free agent market, Cousins was certainly the most notable, and the Bucks made the right choice bringing him in. The sweetener in this is that it comes on a non-guaranteed contract, so there is little to no risk for the team. The move has high potential written all over it, and Cousins should be motivated to prove that he can still play at a high level after going unsigned this past offseason.

Overall, there is not much to dislike about this signing, especially after seeing how the Bucks have struggled to protect the paint and grab rebounds without Lopez early on. Cousins does not fix the problems there on impact, but he will undoubtedly help until Lopez is eventually cleared to return, whenever that might be. This signing might signal that the Bucks are bracing to be without Lopez for an extended period of time, but only time will tell.

Even without Lopez, the Bucks have been rolling lately by winning six consecutive games, and they will now be getting some reinforcements. As usual, this is some solid work by Horst, who always seems to be working the phones to improve this roster.