This is an in-depth look at DeMarcus Cousins’ offensive skill set, and how he can use those skills to excel in the Warriors’ vaunted offensive system.
With those four simple words, DeMarcus Cousins declared that he was going to be a Warrior. Dub Nation rejoiced and laughed at the absurdity of it all — the best center in the NBA was about to join them for a measly $5.3 million.
Meanwhile, the rest of the NBA fandom moaned and complained further about how life was unfair.
This goes without saying, but Cousins is a potent addition to an already deadly offense. Adding arguably the best center in the NBA today to a team consisting of the best point guard in the league, a 7-foot scoring machine, the ultimate 3-and-D player, and the human Swiss Army knife is like combining the nuclear arsenal of the United States with that of Russia.
How will Cousins specifically fit into the Warriors’ offensive system? First, let’s take a look at exactly what kind of offensive force he is.
The low post behemoth
Cousins is listed at 6 feet 11 inches, about what one would expect for an NBA center. His listed weight is 270 pounds — heavily built for banging down low in the post.
As someone would expect from a traditional center, Cousins is an elite low post player, capable of using his strength to control his man down low for buckets. Defenders often find it difficult to seal him off, as he usually gets into good post position.
Cousins also has an array of post moves, combining finesse with bully ball into a package that is nigh-unstoppable. His moves aren’t as fluid as someone like Hakeem Olajuwon, but they are nevertheless effective.
The versatile perimeter threat
If you’re a coach on the opposing team — thinking that Cousins is unguardable down low — you would think the solution would be to prevent him from getting into good post position in the first place. That prospect is already difficult enough to pull off as it is, but let’s say that the defense manages to get Cousins wandering around the perimeter.
The third Splash Brother
It is probably safe to say that not a lot of centers are capable of doing crossovers, behind-the-back dribbles, Euro steps, etc. Cousins, much like his newfound teammate Kevin Durant, is a basketball unicorn: a seven-footer who has the skill set of a guard.
And much like a guard, Cousins has shown that he has an excellent jump shot, with range that stretches beyond the three-point line.
The passing big man
Among the many things the Warriors value are big men who possess excellent passing skills. Andrew Bogut and Zaza Pachulia were two of the best passing big men in the history of the Warriors, and Cousins has the potential to continue that lineage.
The versatility of Cousins’ passing is a sight to behold: full-court passes, cross-court passes, needle-threading, and yes, even behind-the-back passes!
But perhaps the most important aspect of his passing is his ability to pass from the post, something that will be discussed in further detail later on.
Cousins averaged 5.4 assists last season, the highest of his career up to this point. It is evident that as a part of his evolution and growth as a player, he is putting much more emphasis on making plays for his teammates, especially since the defense will have its attention focused on him whenever he has the ball.
If it hasn’t been made clear by now, then the bottom line is this: Cousins is an offensive juggernaut.
Just how will his offensive skill set mesh with some of the sets that the Warriors run? Let’s take a look at a few of the common sets the Warriors run, and how Cousins’ involvement could make opposing coaches break their clipboards in classic Steve Kerr fashion.