On the Club 520 Podcast, DeMarcus Cousins confessed his loyalty to the Kings during his six-and-a-half years in California. Despite his dedication, the management failed to bring another superstar to support him. This prompted the 4x All-Star to pray for better days in the remainder of his career. His prayers were answered, but not in the way he envisioned.
The Pelicans traded for him shortly after the 2017 All-Star break. Cousins joined one of the NBA’s most promising teams. The 34-year-old center partnered with Anthony Davis, Rajon Rondo, and Jrue Holiday to chase his championship dreams. Reflecting on this roster seven years later, Cousins argued they had what it took to achieve that goal.
“In that moment, I’m like, ‘Damn! Anthony Davis. I have been asking to play with a guy that is similar in talent, that can help me get over the hump’… So, I’m like, ‘F**k, we’re gonna make this s**t work’. I already knew AD. I knew the skill set that he had. He could do a lot of different things with the basketball. So, with that alone, I was intrigued. I’m like, ‘We can definitely make some s**t.’”
He realized how pairing up with these stars with complementary skill sets could flourish his game. The rest of the Pelicans roster quickly bought into this playing philosophy. They saw the potential in their new big-man pairing and understood its importance in team success. The backcourt duo of Rondo and Holiday thus selflessly began feeding the ball to Cousins and Davis as much as possible.
“We also have to compliment Rajon [Rondo] and Jrue [Holiday] cause those guys were the ultimate teammates. Elite at what they do but also allowing us to flourish on what we do. It took guys like them to be unselfish and also understand the bigger picture to what we were trying to do to be okay with that.”
Their efforts paid off. The franchise secured the sixth seed in the Western Conference and qualified for the playoffs after a three-year absence. They even swept the Portland Trail Blazers 4-0 in the first round. However, their postseason run ended in the semi-finals with a 1-4 defeat to the eventual champions, the Golden State Warriors.
Despite the setback, Cousins believed they had ignited something special in Louisiana. He continued to view this team as a prime title contender of its era.
“It definitely could have been a beautiful situation… Down the line, I definitely thought we had a chance to be a special team.”
Unfortunately, the Pelicans couldn’t build on their success. Cousins and Rondo left shortly after their playoff heartbreak. Within two years, they also lost AD and Holiday. This set the franchise on a rebuilding path, and it’s fair to say they haven’t been the same since.