Grading DeMarcus Cousins’ one-year deal with the Milwaukee Bucks

Breaking down how DeMarcus Cousins fits with the Milwaukee Bucks

As there tends to be with newcomers, Cousins may show some growing pains early on as he tries to adjust to playing with the Bucks. Yet, he has the necessary tools to be a great fit for the champs if he can put the pieces all together. The Bucks under Mike Budenholzer have used their big men in specific ways, and Cousins will certainly be given a similar role.

Offensively, the biggest adjustment for Cousins will be shooting more 3-pointers, just as it was for Lopez and Portis upon coming to Milwaukee. Before joining the Bucks, Lopez was a measly career 33.5 percent 3-point shooter on 1.2 attempts per game. In the four seasons since, he is shooting 34.3 percent on a whopping 5.1 attempts. Portis was a solid shooter over his first five seasons by knocking down 36 percent of his 3-pointers on 2.4 attempts. Since then, he has transformed into one of the best outside shooters in the NBA by hitting 46.3 percent of his threes on 2.8 attempts.

Cousins has never been much of an outside shooter, having shot 33.4 percent on 1.9 attempts. Yet, Budenholzer will certainly embrace him to let it fly to space the floor better when Cousins is out on the floor with Giannis Antetokounmpo. Cousins will still get his chances to bully his way to the hoop and finish inside, but that outside shot will be his biggest ally offensively as he tries to fit in with the defending champs. There have been some glimpses of Cousins being a solid 3-point shooter in the past, but it will be put to the test tenfold in Milwaukee. According to NBA.com/stats, he did shoot 30-of-72 (41.7 percent) on “wide open” triples last season, and he will get plenty of those looks in Milwaukee.

Defensively, Cousins might have a tougher time getting acquainted. The center has never been known for his defensive stature, but he will be tasked with defending that paint for the Bucks, an area that they have excelled at in the Budenholzer era. They are doing a solid job this season even without Lopez, but if Cousins can come in and be a serviceable defender at the rim, he will have a far easier time fitting in with the Bucks.

Overall, it should not be too difficult of a transition for Cousins as the Bucks will try to make it as easy as possible for the veteran. Cousins will also be reuniting with a familiar face in Jrue Holiday, whom he played alongside for 65 games as a member of the New Orleans Pelicans from 2017-18. It will be interesting to see if the pair can rekindle some of that previous chemistry in a completely new environment.