Report: Houston Rockets, DeMarcus Cousins to part ways
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DeMarcus Cousins’ time in Houston is coming to an end.
The Rockets and their veteran center are planning to part ways in the coming days, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. The team is reportedly trying to go smaller and younger in the post, and will lean on Christian Wood there moving forward.
The Houston Rockets and center DeMarcus Cousins are planning to part ways in coming days, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Houston wants to go smaller, younger in frontcourt when Christian Wood returns and this allows Cousins to find an opportunity elsewhere.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 20, 2021
Cousins has averaged 9.6 points and 7.6 rebounds in 25 games for the Rockets this season, mostly off the bench. The 30-year-old signed a one year, $2.3 million deal with Houston this offseason, his first year back in the league after missing a season while recovering from an ACL injury.
Houston, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, fully guaranteed Cousins’ contract through the end of the season on Friday. Once the separation is official, Cousins will be able to sign wherever he wants.
Christian Wood to return soon after ankle injury
Wood went down with an ankle injury in Houston's win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Feb. 4, and has been sidelined ever since.
The timing couldn’t have been worse, either, as Wood was in the midst of a career season while seeming to finally find his place in the league. The 25-year-old has averaged 22 points and 10.2 rebounds in 17 games for Houston this season. He signed a three year, $41 million deal with the Rockets before the season, his first with the team after short stints in Philadelphia, Charlotte, Milwaukee, New Orleans and Detroit.
Yet now, though, Wood said he’s nearly ready to make his return — something he should be able to do after the All-Star break.
“It was tough. It was definitely hard to deal with at first,” Wood said, via the Houston Chronicle. “But then when I found out the news wasn’t as bad as it seemed, I was grateful and thankful that it could have been worse. I’m here. I’ll be back soon.
“I thought it was broken at the time just because of how high the swelling was and the way they thought it was broken. But it turned out it wasn’t. No structural damage. So, we’re good.”
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