The Nuggets have gotten outscored by 10.6 points per 100 possessions with Nikola Jokic off the court this season. For perspective, no team has had a worse full-season net rating than that in a decade.
But there are degrees within lousy.
Denver has gotten outscored by “just” 7.6 points per 100 possessions with DeMarcus Cousins at center.
That’ll earn him a roster spot for the stretch run.
Shams Charania of The Athletic:
Sources: The Denver Nuggets are planning to sign center DeMarcus Cousins to a rest-of-season contract in the coming days. Cousins’ final 10-day expired over the weekend. He’s averaged 6.1 points and 6.3 rebounds with Denver, where he’s reunited with Michael Malone.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 22, 2022
Cousins probably isn’t the answer at age 31. There are reasons he was available initially on a 10-day contract. Injuries and aging have sapped his athleticism, and he was never the sharpest defender. He still takes on a big load offensively, which can be damaging as his efficiency has declined.
But Jeff Green, JaMychal Green and Zeke Nnaji don’t look like the answer at backup center, either.
Cousins brings size that could be useful in some matchups. He has been surprisingly decent overall this season, including a larger sample with the Bucks.
Though Cousins provides more name recognition than production at this point, re-signing him still makes for the Nuggets. Michael Malone has a strong connection with Cousins, who can be difficult on coaches. In fact, Cousins’ attitude appears to be welcomed by his teammates in Denver. And, most importantly, the Nuggets are desperate at backup center.
