DeMarcus Cousins hopes to return to Warriors after Christmas

DeMarcus Cousins is getting closer to suiting up with the Golden State Warriors and making his debut with the NBA powerhouse.

Logan Murdock of The Mercury News reports the all-star center is “ramping up his workload” on his injured Achilles and is setting to step on the floor after Christmas.

Sources: Warriors' injured center DeMarcus Cousins is ramping up his workload on his Achilles and is targeting a return to the lineup after Christmas. https://t.co/S2bcXPYyut via @mercnews

— Logan Murdock (@loganmmurdock) November 26, 2018

Cousins, who signed a one-year $5.2 million deal, will help a depleted Warriors squad. Both point guard Steph Curry and center Draymond Green have missed an extended amount of time, with the 15-7 defending NBA championships looking as vulnerable as they ever have.

Getting Cousins into a lineup potentially featuring Curry, Green, forward Kevin Durant and shooting guard Klay Thompson is just unfair. That’s five all-stars and two former MVPs in the starting lineup. Steve Kerr is going to have no problem scoring points and defending the paint with that lineup.

Cousins has been out for so long; it’s easy to forget how dominant he was with the New Orleans Pelicans last season. In 48 games, he averaged 25.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 5.4 assists. To top it off he also shot 47 percent from the floor and 35 percent from the three. Without teams being able to double-team him thanks to the Warriors spectacular lineup, he’ll make an immediate impact – even if he’s still not 100%.

The Warriors will get a late, but much welcome gift if Cousins returns after Christmas.

[Complex]