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.
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.
Analyzing what role DeMarcus Cousins will play for the Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks understand that they are not getting the DeMarcus Cousins that was one the most formidable center in the NBA. Injuries have unfortunately taken that title away from the veteran, but he will still be an important player for the champs as they try to navigate through early injury woes at the center position.
Of course, there is no current timetable for Lopez to return from his nagging back soreness. He did recently provide an “injury update” by saying he has a return date in mind but would not give out a specific date. This signing indicates that Lopez’s intended date might have been pushed back as the Bucks do not want to rush him back by any means.
Cousins will not be starting for the Bucks, as it would be foolish to take Portis out of the starting five after his incredible stretch of games recently. Instead, he will come off the bench behind the ever-energetic Portis and play somewhere between 10-20 minutes per game. This will help take some of the burden off of Antetokounmpo and Portis, who have played most of their minutes at center this season.
When he checks in, the Bucks will not ask much of Cousins. If he can knock down the occasional outside shot and not be a turnstile at the rim defensively, he will be in good shape. Cousins will bring solid rebounding to a team that currently ranks second in the league in that category, making them all the more formidable on the glass. His role will not be substantial, but it does not need to be for him to flourish with the Bucks.
An overall grade on the Demarcus Cousins signing for the Milwaukee Bucks
Given the financial flexibility this deal entails and Milwaukee’s current need for an able center, this signing makes all the sense in the world for the Bucks. Considering that their 15th roster spot was unoccupied before making this move, Cousins was a great choice to put it to good use rather than simply leaving it open. Cousins was arguably the best free agent available on the market, and the Bucks managed to bolster their thin frontcourt by bringing him aboard for cheap.
Given how turbulent Cousins’ career has been over the past few years due to injuries, it is tough to assess what he might look like for the Bucks. Hypothetically, he should bring some toughness and solid play off the bench to give Milwaukee an extra boost at a position of need. No one expects the center to come in and average a double-double, but could Cousins come in and possibly resurrect his career as a solid role player? Absolutely. Look at Derrick Rose and Carmelo Anthony, who were both out of the NBA for an extended period of time and thrived after being given a second chance. Cousins should be more than motivated to prove he can walk down the same path, and he will get a chance to do so without question.
General manager Jon Horst continues to show that he will always be aggressive in improving this roster, and time will tell if this latest move pays off in a big way.
BTBP Grade: A+
Perhaps Cousins could make his Milwaukee Bucks debut in the team’s game this Wednesday versus the Charlotte Hornets.