No. 2: DeMarcus Cousins, New Orleans Pelicans
Cousins was once again an All-Star this season. He was also on track to make his first playoff appearance, but that was derailed by a ruptured Achilles. He now moves into free agency with significant question marks surrounding his health.
Strengths
At his best, Cousins can challenge Embiid for the title of league’s best center. Defense gives Embiid the edge, but Cousins is the more polished offensive weapon, spacing the floor, attacking closeouts in coordinated fashion, and using his strong frame to bully his way into the paint.
We haven’t seen any bigs with Cousins’ blend of strength and skill in quite some time. He can handle the ball in transition, initiate the offense at the top of the key, or playmake from the low block. His offensive versatility is genuinely impressive.
Cousins isn’t the post-dominant center that’s fading out of the modern NBA either. His passing ability is his most underrated trait, but it’s also his most important. He can play all over the floor and create for others, something that helped him mesh with Anthony Davis in NOLA.
Cousins is also an elite rebounder who, despite his limited lateral quickness, can block shots at a respectable clip. When he’s engaged, defense isn’t a significant issue.
Weaknesses
Cousins lacks the defensive versatility that makes Clint Capela such an intriguing asset. He’s also coming off a severe knee injury, which leaves concerns about his long-term projections. Attitude has also been an issue for Cousins in the past, especially in Sacramento.
Simply put, he’ll need to answer some questions before receiving max offers league-wide.
Fit
The Cousins-Davis pairing was fun, and they might stick with it in New Orleans. I’m not sure an Embiid-Cousins pairing would have the same luster, even if the talent level is astronomically high. Embiid can’t play on the perimeter to the extent Davis can, while Cousins and Embiid would fill similar spaces defensively.
But, regardless of basketball fit, Cousins isn’t coming to Philly.