DeMarcus Cousins on Leaving Davis and the Pelicans: 'It Could’ve Been Something Great'

Boogie speaks on how magical the connection with Davis would have been if not cut short by outside forces.

Anthony Davis #23 of the New Orleans Pelicans high fives DeMarcus Cousins #0
Getty

Image via Getty/Layne Murdoch

Anthony Davis #23 of the New Orleans Pelicans high fives DeMarcus Cousins #0

This summer the Warriors found the seventh dragon ball when they added superstar center DeMarcus Cousins to their Hall of Fame starting five. This move was a win/win for both parties. Cousins is now a key piece to a championship contender while the ability to sign the four-time All-Star to a mere one-year, $5.3 million contract was a steal for the Golden State. Yet, despite this, Boogie still resents the events that brought him to the day. 

In an interview with The Athletic, Cousins let it be known that his plan was not to add to Golden State's stacked roster. Rather, he chose to do so as a result of the lack of interest he received during the off-season. 

"The people I reached out to...man, the teams I was talking to, and how they slammed the phone in my face," Boogie told The Athletic's Shams Charania. "They all slammed the door shut on me. I wish I could share those conversations. But it's done with. I reached out to teams with the same offer as Golden State, just to see." The frustration Cousins is explaining is a result of his value dropping after suffering a torn Achilles midway through the 2017-2018 season. However, before this, Boogie averaged 25.2 PPG and 12.9 RPG while playing alongside Anthony Davis in New Orleans.

The combination of Cousins and Davis was a magical connection that got cut short by outside forces. Cousins touched on what could have been if the Pelicans did not take away his $40 million offer following his injury. 

"I think about our pairing all the time. Me and AD talk about it. It's fucked up. It could've been something great, something special, but other people had different things in mind. That's out of our control," Cousins said before alluding to the fact he and Davis could become teammates again later in their career.

Boogie made his return to the court on Jan. 18 against the Clippers. And despite the limited minutes, he has added a dynamic to the Warriors that is making the league regret they counted him out.

Latest in Sports