One of the Golden State Warriors’ five All-Stars is nearing a return to the lineup. No, that’s not two-time MVP Stephen Curry. It still remains to be seen how long Curry will be out after suffering a groin injury earlier this month.
Instead, talented big man DeMarcus Cousins is targeting a return to the court at some point after Christmas.
“Warriors’ center DeMarcus Cousins is targeting a return from his torn Achilles sometime after Christmas,” Logan Murdock of The Mercury News reported on Monday.
Cousins, 28, suffered a torn Achilles as a member of the New Orleans Pelicans this past January. At the time of the injury, it was expected that he’d receive a max contract offer in free agency. Instead, the four-time All-Star settled on a one-year, $5.2 million deal with the defending champs back in July.
Initially, Cousins wanted to return during Golden State’s upcoming five-game road trip. But the team is playing it close to the vest. Cousins has been taking part in scrimmages over the past couple weeks and looks good on the court.
Once Cousins does make his Warriors debut in late December, he’ll add a completely different component to the team. The center averaged 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists for New Orleans last season.
Cousins’ return is much needed for a Warriors team that enters this week’s action with a 14-7 record and having lost four of its past six games.