The Warriors will likely be down an All-Star for the rest of the year.

According to Stadium NBA Insider Shams Charania, Golden State center DeMarcus Cousins has a torn left quad. The injury will likely force Cousins to miss the rest of the playoffs, although there is a slight chance he returns should the Warriors reach the NBA Finals.

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This is a crushing blow for Cousins, who would have gotten a maximum contract last offseason if not for his Achilles injury. Instead, he signed a one-year, $5.3 million deal with the Warriors in an attempt to re-enter the offseason as a max player.

Now, his value in free agency is unknown after this latest setback.

In the 48 games Cousins played in 2017-18 before tearing his Achilles, he was helping the New Orleans Pelicans keep pace in a loaded Western Conference. New Orleans was 27-21 before Cousins was ruled out for the rest of the season. The team finished 48-34 and made the postseason, but the organization decided not to bring Cousins back in the offseason.

DeMarcus Cousins’ Splits (via NBA.com)	Minutes	Points	FG %	3-point %	Rebounds	Offensive Rating	Defensive Rating
2017-18 (48 Games)	36.2	25.2	47.0	35.4	12.9	108.0	105.0
2018-19 (30 Games)	25.7	16.3	48.0	27.4	8.2	110.2	105.6

 

It’s possible that Cousins did enough in 30 games with Golden State to get the max contract he wants.

He showcased his overall skill and shot extremely well from the field, as the center’s per-36 numbers this season are very similar to his final year in New Orleans. His offensive efficiency has definitely gotten a boost from playing with four other All-Stars, but he’s still a force even though he’s benefited from playing with multiple superstars.

There are two factors working for Cousins in free agency despite his setback. The first being that the center market is perennially thin and floor-spacing All-Star centers aren’t available every day. When Cousins is able to take the court, he’s proven to do just that.

The other factor working for Cousins is that there’s a multitude of teams with cap space. The Clippers, Knicks, Lakers, Nets and Mavericks all have cap space available with a desire to add a second star. If those franchises strike out on the top free agents, Cousins will be in play as a fallback option. Even teams like the Suns, Bulls and Pacers could go after Cousins if his medical reports check out.

But ultimately, whether or not Cousins’ latest injury denies him from receiving the max contract he’s worked so hard for will be one of the storylines to monitor this offseason.

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