Pelicans Have Internally Discussed Offering DeMarcus Cousins Short-Term Deal

[Tinman]

I don't even think it's Cousin's agent. We will offer whatever to keep Cousins. If Cousins wants 3 years, he will get that. If he wants 5, he will get that. I think it's just the national media still cannot understand what the Pelicans are doing or how they built their team through NOT using 1st round draft picks so they speculate the worst for the team consistently.

The team had Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, Rajon Rondo, and Jrue Holiday and was predicted to win 36 games. The entirety of ESPN's staff predicted us to lose to Portland in the 1st round. Now they write about how we don't need Cousins, should Sign and Trade Cousins, or just let him walk if the price gets too high.

To say they are clueless is beyond generous. You must have superstar talent if you want to compete for titles. Cousins is a superstar, injury or not. He will be kept.

So, injury or not, what you are saying is-> Hes gonna get the same amount of years & money? That would be as foolish as re-signing Asik . That Achilles injury changes everything. Boogie is not gonna get what he wants. Hes gonna get what we are gonna give him.

[Joe Gerrity]

Maybe I missed it, but I don't see an actual link to Lowe's article, which is pretty spot on in my opinion--

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2...s-nba-playoffs

[PelsFan2313]

So, injury or not, what you are saying is-> Hes gonna get the same amount of years & money? That would be as foolish as re-signing Asik . That Achilles injury changes everything. Boogie is not gonna get what he wants. Hes gonna get what we are gonna give him.

I tend to agree. The entire point of Lowe's article is the equation has changed given Boogie's injury, its unpredictability, and the level of play we've produced post-Boogie. It would be foolish, given those factors, to not at least consider drawing the line somewhere when it relates to number of years. For reasons already discussed, number of years shouldn't be an issue anyways, since 2+1 is optimal for both sides.

[R Pelly]

I think DeMarcus can be sold on resigning at a short-term, less-the-max contract. If you sell him on the ability to bring in quality free agents with the extra cap space. Also, that the short-term deal will allow the front office to come back in a few years to offer a contract to recoup and reward him for injury recovery/taking less money to help the team.

I think the Heat when they had their "big 3" did something similar. Also, same concept with the Warriors: Superstars taking shorter/less than max contracts soothes can bring in more above average players. Sell him on building something special to make this a championship team.

[Darkhorse985]

The Pelicans have NOT discussed giving Cousins a 1 year deal. Lowe was specifically vague because just like every national writer they are pushing agendas. Lowe usually less than others but the media has had a very consistent line with not knowing what's going on with the Pels for years.

What is short term deal? Is giving Cousins a deal that runs the length of AD's considered short term? Maybe by some but it is the most logical deal for Cousins so he can be a free agent at the same time as AD, unless he is willing to sign the full max already.

Here's something everyone should keep in mind: Are they national media writing a speculation piece? If yes, ignore.

The national media hates when a small market team succeeds. Keeping Boogie is not only important to maximizing the most talent we can collect on this team, but it is also extremely important in keeping AD happy. We cannot replace Boogie's talent if we lose him. We do not have the cap space. With that being said, we should not give him a 5 year max deal as no one else will. Boogie likes New Orleans, and we are now a winning organization with a bright future. Boogie is recovering from a devastating injury and already had a reputation for personality concerns. He fits on this team in new Orleans with a players coach and two good friends in Davis and Rondo. I think a 2+1 (player option) deal for $27 million a year is appropriate. We need to re-sign Rondo and Clark to run this team back. Having Boogie and AD hit the market at the same time allows them to possibly recruit a third star to join them in Nola when the time comes.

[wnelson]

I am all in for a 2+1 deal for boogie so he and AD will match their deals. We can decide or they can what will happen when the time comes.

No way we let boogie walk

[Silver Nail]

I know I'm probably in the minority, but don't like Jrue, AD, and DMC with the option of all leaving at same time. Would rather gamble on a 4 plus 1 with incentives and injury exceptions. Much like Jrue's deal but ends year after AD has to take super max or leave.

[luckyman]

Maybe I missed it, but I don't see an actual link to Lowe's article, which is pretty spot on in my opinion--

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2...s-nba-playoffs

It's not. For one thing he completely forgets about Frank Jackson and the fact that the team still does have a draft pick this year. Then he hedges his bets by playing both sides of the fence. I.e. parrots all the negative stats with Davis and Cousins on the floor as a reason why they shouldn't go hard for him, but then states that the team was playing better before he went down, and the Pelicans will need Cousins to compete with the best in the west. Plus the fact that the roster was still in flux the first half of the season and obviously no Mirotic.

It's just all over the place with no concrete thesis beyond the obvious.

[Pelicanidae]

It's not. For one thing he completely forgets about Frank Jackson and the fact that the team still does have a draft pick this year. Then he hedges his bets by playing both sides of the fence. I.e. parrots all the negative stats with Davis and Cousins on the floor as a reason why they shouldn't go hard for him, but then states that the team was playing better before he went down, and the Pelicans will need Cousins to compete with the best in the west. Plus the fact that the roster was still in flux the first half of the season and obviously no Mirotic.

It's just all over the place with no thesis.

He's just doing the media guy thing, where he talks and talks and talks, so that he can say he's been talking. Fills the airspace, makes it look like he's paying attention to the entire league without having to actually do any real analysis of the smaller markets, and lets him say he was right regardless of what happens because he predicted both sides.

[N.O.Bronco]

The Pelicans have NOT discussed giving Cousins a 1 year deal. Lowe was specifically vague because just like every national writer they are pushing agendas. Lowe usually less than others but the media has had a very consistent line with not knowing what's going on with the Pels for years.

What is short term deal? Is giving Cousins a deal that runs the length of AD's considered short term? Maybe by some but it is the most logical deal for Cousins so he can be a free agent at the same time as AD, unless he is willing to sign the full max already.

Here's something everyone should keep in mind: Are they national media writing a speculation piece? If yes, ignore.

Lowe only mentioned a 2-3 year deal, which seems very reasonable and likely. Nowhere does he mention his sources tell him they offered a one year deal. Where are you getting that?

Your irate demeanor seems to be aimed at a straw man.

[Mythrol]

So, injury or not, what you are saying is-> Hes gonna get the same amount of years & money? That would be as foolish as re-signing Asik . That Achilles injury changes everything. Boogie is not gonna get what he wants. Hes gonna get what we are gonna give him.

Yes. The injury sucks but Cousins is getting the max. The point of discussion is for how many years. That again, is whatever Cousins wants.

[luckyman]

Lowe also talks about the Pelicans needing someone to succeed Miller, Rondo, Moore, and Hill. I can see possibly someone to take Hill and Rondo's place, but why Moore and Miller? And again, no mention of Jackson and Ian Clark or this year's pick. Outside of Rondo none of them are old men and Miller is a"young" 28. He hasn't been through the wears and tears of pro ball very long either.

I guarantee you if this same roster was in NY, L.A., Dallas, or Chicago, this entire piece would have been about why this team is ready to win the west next year.

[Mythrol]

Lowe only mentioned a 2-3 year deal, which seems very reasonable and likely. Nowhere does he mention his sources tell him they offered a one year deal. Where are you getting that?

Your irate demeanor seems to be aimed at a straw man.

My comments about a 1 year deal were aimed at the people discussing a one year deal in this thread, not Lowe. As my post you quoted says, I clearly state Lowe was purposely vague on what a short term deal was.

If you were actually interested in discussing instead of trying take cheap shots or argue you'd have seen this. The Pels swept the 1st round, be happy.

[GuardianAngel25]

It's just an article fellas calm down.. not every writer is out to get the Pelicans and bash them lol. I don't really see where Lowe said anything wrong outside of it not fitting in under some people's schedule because the Pelicans won a series. I don't agree with him on some things in the article but he's not necessarily lying or going after us.

[Silver Nail]

HERE'S WHAT WE SHOULD DO

TOTAL
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 LESS 2021 PLAYER OPTION
Jrue Holiday PG $25,686,667 $26,161,111 $26,896,111 $26,161,111 $27,050,000 $104,905,000 4 YRS
PLUS INCENTIVES

2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 TOTAL
LESS 2017 PAID CONTRACT
LESS 2022 PLAYER OPTION
DeMarcus Cousins C $18,063,850 $26,086,667 $26,561,111 $27,296,111 $26,561,111 $27,450,000 $106,505,000 4 YRS
PLUS INCENTIVES

2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 TOTAL
Anthony Davis PF $23,775,506 $25,434,263 $27,093,019 $28,751,775 UFA $105,054,563 4 YRS

[Silver Nail]

HERE'S WHAT WE SHOULD DO

TOTAL
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 LESS 2021 PLAYER OPTION
Jrue Holiday PG $25,686,667 $26,161,111 $26,896,111 $26,161,111 $27,050,000 $104,905,000 4 YRS
PLUS INCENTIVES

2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 TOTAL
LESS 2017 PAID CONTRACT
LESS 2022 PLAYER OPTION
DeMarcus Cousins C $18,063,850 $26,086,667 $26,561,111 $27,296,111 $26,561,111 $27,450,000 $106,505,000 4 YRS
PLUS INCENTIVES

2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 TOTAL
Anthony Davis PF $23,775,506 $25,434,263 $27,093,019 $28,751,775 UFA $105,054,563 4 YRS

SORRY NOT THE RIGHT FORMAT BUT DATA IS CORRECT .TRIED TO POST PICTURE BUT NO LUCK

[msusousaphone]

"I think we should offer him a five year deal with team option on the last four years at vet minimum and Dell is awful if Boogie walks or we offer him more."

- local NOLA basketball beat writers who seem to prefer writing emo pieces about how bad we are

[N.O.Bronco]

My comments about a 1 year deal were aimed at the people discussing a one year deal in this thread, not Lowe. As my post you quoted says, I clearly state Lowe was purposely vague on what a short term deal was.

If you were actually interested in discussing instead of trying take cheap shots or argue you'd have seen this. The Pels swept the 1st round, be happy.

You need to calm down with the short temper passive aggressiveness mythrol. You rolled an opening sentence into a diatribe against Lowe and "the national media" that by all indications implied a connection. No need to start with the implied insults for advancing some clarification.

Lowe wasn't all that vague. He specifically said early discussions are centered around 2-3 years and below the max.

The Pelicans have broached internally the idea of offering Cousins a two- or three-year deal at less than the max, per sources familiar with the discussions. I would not expect that to go over well with Cousins' camp. But the Pelicans have the dual leverage of winning without Cousins and a tepid market for him.

Any sort of deeper nefarious motive is purely speculative and isn't borne out by any patterns in Lowe's prior reporting. The opposite in fact. He seems to have basically a perfect track record with sourcing internal matters with the Pels and is one of the better national analysts of our team. Who if anything seems to have a soft spot for Jrue and Davis over the years.

[Pelicanidae]

"I think we should offer him a five year deal with team option on the last four years at vet minimum and Dell is awful if Boogie walks or we offer him more."

- local NOLA basketball beat writers who seem to prefer writing emo pieces about how bad we are

''Cousins might be a multiple time all-star and career 21/11 guy, but he did get injured so he should get paid like a scrub and if he wants more we should do a sign and trade for Bismack Biyombo'' - Somebody, probably.

[Mythrol]

You need to calm down with the short temper passive aggressiveness mythrol. You rolled an opening sentence into a diatribe against Lowe and "the national media" that by all indications implied a connection. No need to start with the implied insults for advancing some clarification.

Lowe wasn't all that vague. He specifically said early discussions are centered around 2-3 years and below the max.



Any sort of deeper nefarious motive is purely speculative and isn't borne out by any patterns in Lowe's prior reporting. The opposite in fact. He seems to have basically a perfect track record with sourcing internal matters with the Pels and is one of the better national analysts of our team. Who if anything seems to have a soft spot for Jrue and Davis over the years.

I don't know what agenda you have but I don't care. I'm really happy with the Pelicans right now and really don't want to get into anything with anyone. Go find someone else to argue with and leave me alone.

[Silver Nail]

This is what we should propose, nothing less, and probably nothing more

[lsutigers33]

Sign and trade for Leonard.

[Darkhorse985]

Lowe also talks about the Pelicans needing someone to succeed Miller, Rondo, Moore, and Hill. I can see possibly someone to take Hill and Rondo's place, but why Moore and Miller? And again, no mention of Jackson and Ian Clark or this year's pick. Outside of Rondo none of them are old men and Miller is a"young" 28. He hasn't been through the wears and tears of pro ball very long either.

I guarantee you if this same roster was in NY, L.A., Dallas, or Chicago, this entire piece would have been about why this team is ready to win the west next year.

Spot on with the big market bias comment. The national media never supports a small market team succeeding.

[msw2024]

I really like the 2+1 contract or something similar that AD and Boogie would be FA at the same year/off season...My biggest concern is if we give boogie the max...How do we fill out the rest of the roster? Rondo will want a raise and same for Clark. Will they take the MLE to stay or bi annual?

[Silver Nail]

The more I look at this, the more convinced that we may be able to get KL here easier than PG. SA has no center, LA and Pau are there PFs along with Lauvergne who has a PLAYER OPTION this summer and he never sees the court anyway. Pop's statement and KL absence makes it hard to believe that they let him possibly leave next summer for nothing, PO, and/or have to super max him the following year. They have the possibility of Manu and Parker leaving as well. We can OFFER, along with whatever draft picks they want, 1 and 2, 2019, with SH, EM and CD. This move solves a lot of issues for both teams.