The Houston Rockets are about to cut ties with center DeMarcus Cousins on Tuesday after a mutual decision was made to part ways between the team and the player, sources confirmed to ESPN.
Cousins, whose veteran minimum wage of $ 2.3 million was guaranteed by the Rockets last week as a token of gratitude, will investigate the interest of other teams.
The four-time 30-year-old All-Star, trying to revive his career after a string of serious injuries, averaged 9.6 points and 7.6 rebounds with an ERA of just 37.6% in 25 games with the Rockets .
Sources said Cousins was unhappy with his role as a backup center for Christian Wood and wanted more playing time. Rockets coach Stephen Silas did not consider playing Wood and Cousins together as he only wants to use Wood as a center.
The Rockets have lost their last eight games after Wood, the team’s top scorer and rebounder, sprained his right ankle. Cousins, whose defensive restrictions were an issue, averaged 12.1 points and 9.0 rebounds in Wood’s absence, before losing Monday’s loss to the Chicago Bulls due to a heel injury.
Cousins has gone through 3 different teams in recent seasons after rupturing his Achilles tendon during 2017-18 with the New Orleans Pelicans. He then signed with the Golden State Warriors, but broke his quadriceps in the 2018/19 season. Cousins later joined the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2019/20 season, but tore his ACL before he could make his debut with the team.
The center has averaged 20.8 points and 10.7 rebounds in his career since being selected by the Sacramento Kings as No. 5 in the 2010 draft.
The Athletic portal was the first to report on Cousins’ imminent release.