Report: DeMarcus Cousins to play for Puerto Rico's Guaynabo Mets in bid for NBA return
Since the NBA's preseason, four-time All-Star DeMarcus Cousins has been making public petitions for a return to the league. Now, it appears he'll take his comeback campaign to Puerto Rico.
The center is signing with the Guaynabo Mets, a Puerto Rican Professional Basketball League team, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Cousins, 32, last played for the Denver Nuggets during the 2021–22 season. He averaged 8.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 31 games.
His tenure there was highlighted by a breakout 31-point performance that helped boost the Nuggets to a 116-101 win over the Houston Rockets last March. He also recorded 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block in the dominant showing.
With 11 years of NBA experience, Cousins also played for the Kings, Pelicans, Warriors, Rockets, Clippers and Bucks. Despite dealing with some injuries in recent years, the veteran feels that there is not a clear reason that he doesn't currently have a roster spot.
Last October, Cousins told Yahoo Sports that he was "just asking for a chance" to show his growth. A month later, he expressed interest in reuniting with the Sacramento Kings. “Would love to help get Sac back to the playoffs,” he wrote on Twitter.
In January, the Los Angeles Lakers reportedly hosted him for a workout. Ultimately deciding not to sign Cousins, the Lakers recently added Tristan Thompson to the roster in preparation for the play-in tournament.
Joining SiriusXM NBA Radio at the end of March, Cousins talked about his effort to make it back to the league. "I look at myself first. What can I do to better myself?" he said.
Even with his public accountability, Cousins said he can't get any harsh feedback.
"I've reached out to former teams and I kind of get sugar-coated answers. I can never get the raw honest truth" he said, adding that he'd "love to get a real answer."
The big man also recently joined Kevin Garnett on the KG CERTIFIED podcast and made it clear that he's not letting the NBA's cold shoulder discourage him. "Right now, I’m the third-best center in the league," he said.
In the conversation released Monday, Cousins also said he is “waiting around” for teams to give him a call. Now, it appears he'll have the opportunity to showcase his readiness instead of just standing by.
