Milwaukee Bucks Sign DeMarcus Cousins

The Milwaukee Bucks and general manager Jon Horst continue to look for ways to improve the roster. Sunday afternoon it was announced that the Bucks and center DeMarcus Cousins have agreed to a one-year contract. The deal is non-guaranteed.

What the addition of Cousins means for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Cousins, 31, is a former four-time All-Star who the Bucks are hoping will help soak up minutes as a big man. Cousins played his best years with the Sacramento Kings, but injuries derailed his prime.

Cousins spent last year with the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Clippers, averaging 8.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game with the two teams. Cousins played some minutes in the playoffs and had some important moments, such as a 15 point game in just 11 minutes in a Game 5 win in the Western Conference Finals.

The hope is that Cousins will help fill time while Brook Lopez is still absent with a back injury. The Milwaukee Bucks have played the majority of the year without a true center.

As a result, some of the Bucks interior defense has taken a hit. The Bucks had the third best opponent’s field goal percentage within five feet of the basket last year. This year, the Bucks have fallen to 11th in the league.

While Cousins’ best defensive days are certainly behind him, Cousins is still a big body that can relieve Giannis Antetokounmpo’s duties of playing the five. When Lopez comes back, Cousins could provide good bench scoring for short spurts.

Additionally, Cousins still has some touch from the outside, as he shot 34.8 percent from three last year. Cousins should be able to spread the floor at times if on the court with Giannis.

The Milwaukee Bucks are surging as they are taking advantage of their lighter schedule. As the schedule gets tougher over the coming months, it will be important to help keep players fresh. With the addition Cousins, Giannis should play less minutes at the five and Lopez, when he returns, should be able to ease back into his normal workload.