Grading DeMarcus Cousins’ one-year deal with the Milwaukee Bucks
By Dalton Sell
After what seemed like weeks of contemplating, the Milwaukee Bucks have finally added another center to the roster.
The Bucks signed DeMarcus Cousins to a one-year deal this past Sunday, bringing in a household big man to give them some much-needed depth with Brook Lopez sidelined. While Cousins is not a gamechanger for the defending champions, it seems like the fanbase is happy to have him on for the ride as the Bucks aim to go back-to-back. With that being said, let us take a closer look at this deal for Cousins, including the financial value, along with his fit, his role, and an overall grade for it.
The financial value of DeMarcus Cousins’s contract with the Milwaukee Bucks
As noted by The Athletic’s Shams Charania in his initial reporting of the signing, Cousins will be heading to the Bucks on a non-guaranteed deal. Basically, the Bucks have the option to cut the 31-year-old by a certain deadline and it will keep their costs down. Given their financial situation as it is, that is a big bonus for a Milwaukee team that has one of the highest payrolls in the entire association. There is absolutely no reason to dislike this deal for Cousins financially, given that it is incredibly low risk, but it poses a high reward simultaneously.
No matter how Cousins plays with the Bucks, there is not a deal that would have been better for the champs. If he plays great, he will have a chance to cement his spot as the 15th man on the roster and stay with the Bucks for the rest of the season. If it is the opposite, they can let him go with little to no issues. It was a win-win, essentially. Although he might not be the Cousins of old, bringing the big man in on a non-guaranteed deal is a great move for the Bucks.