mtenis.com.pl

Tyronn Lue had suggested plans to retain the veteran center: ‘We just gotta bring him up to speed on the playbook’
New Clippers center DeMarcus Cousins celebrates after scoring during the first half of Tuesday night’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
New Clippers center DeMarcus Cousins celebrates after scoring during the first half of Tuesday night’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Center. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
By MIRJAM SWANSON | mswanson@scng.com | Southern California News Group
PUBLISHED: April 16, 2021 at 9:44 a.m. | UPDATED: April 16, 2021 at 2:54 p.m.
The Clippers will keep Boogieing for at least another 10 days.

The team tweeted Friday morning it had signed veteran center DeMarcus Cousins to a second 10-day contract. The 30-year-old appeared in three games since joining the team on his first 10-day deal on April 5, averaging 6 points and 3 rebounds in 9.7 minutes per contest. He’s 7 for 15 from the field as a Clipper so far.

Despite Cousins’ limited usage, Coach Tyronn Lue made it clear after Wednesday’s win in Detroit that the Clippers are high on the four-time All-Star, known affectionately as “Boogie,” who joined the team after being waived by Houston 25 games into the season.

“Yeah, we look forward for him to continue on,” Lue said, via Zoom, on Wednesday, when the versatile, if injury-slowed 6-foot-10 veteran scored eight points to help the Clippers gut out a short-handed victory.


“He was big for us. The toughest thing is late in the game, it’s hard for us to run plays because he really hasn’t caught up yet as far as the plays because we haven’t had a lot of practice time. So that kind of stumped us a little bit.

“But his playing, just knowing the game and IQ, to be able to shoot it, to post up and bring physicality is great for our team. We just gotta bring him up to speed on the playbook just so we can kind of call more sets when he’s in the game.”


Clippers star Paul George also has raved about Cousins’ abilities and what he can bring to the Clippers, who have been without starting center Serge Ibaka since March 15 with what’s been described as lower back tightness.

“He’s an All-Star, he’s still one of the most skilled bigs in the league, and so he can finish, he rebounds … he’s still got a lot left to give,” George said of Cousins, who has overcome multiple major injures in his decade in the NBA. “He can really play at a high level still, so I’m looking forward to it. Looking forward to him getting into a groove, him seeing the floor and just being a great teammate for us.”

RELATED ARTICLES
Clippers earn dominant win over Timberwolves in front of fans
Clippers welcome home fans for the first time this season
Clippers’ Paul George flourishing despite foot injury
Whicker: Depleted Clippers run into healthy Joel Embiid
Clippers’ 7-game win streak ends against 76ers
Cousins’ deal will include the Clippers’ next five games – including Friday’s in Philadelphia – and will pay him $175,668, while the team takes on a $110,998 cap hit, per analysis from hooprumors.com.


With Cousins’ tenure extended, the Clippers’ roster stands at 15 players, with Cousins and Malik Fitts on 10-day deals. Fitts could be re-signed to a second 10-day contract when his first one expires this weekend – although the Clippers reportedly planned to sign 6-foot free-agent combo guard Yogi Ferrell to a 10-day contract once he has cleared the necessary coronavirus health and protocols, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Going forward with Cousins, the team either will have to either let him go or sign him for the rest of the season.




Newsroom Guidelines News Tips Contact Us Report an Error
The Trust Project Logo
What's going on with the Clippers?

Get the latest analysis and breaking news with Inside the Clippers