DeMarcus Cousins 'Would Love to Get a Real Answer' Why He Doesn't Have NBA Contract

Veteran center DeMarcus Cousins expressed his frustration at being unable to sign an NBA deal, saying he "can never really get the raw honest truth" for his present situation.

The 32-year-old added during an interview on SiriusXM NBA Radio he "would love to get a real answer."

The Los Angeles Lakers brought him in for a workout in January as they evaluated a few different center options, and they ultimately decided not to extend him a contract. Aside from that, the opportunities for him have been few and far between.

Cousins signed a one-year deal with the Milwaukee Bucks ahead of the 2021-22 NBA season. The Bucks somewhat unexpectedly waived the four-time All-Star in January, with general manager Jon Horst explaining how the front office wanted to preserve an open roster slot.

"We wouldn't have been able to get through this difficult stretch of the season as successfully as we did without DeMarcus," he told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. "At the end of the day, we made a strategic decision to have an open roster spot, but there's nothing that would prevent us from partnering with DeMarcus again down the road. He was so good for us, and hopefully we helped him, too."

Cousins finished out the year in the Mile High City after signing with Denver. In 48 games across the two stops, he averaged 9.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 0.4 blocks. He also shot 46.0 percent from the field and 30.3 percent from beyond the arc.

The 6'10" big man showed shades of his old self when he feasted on the rebuilding Houston Rockets to the tune of 31 points and nine boards in a 116-101 Denver victory on March 4.

After Cousins suffered a torn Achilles tendon in 2018, it looked like he could remain a starting center in the NBA while not reaching the heights he enjoyed with the Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans. Upon returning to the court with the Golden State Warriors in 2019, he averaged 16.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists.

Then, the Kentucky product tore his ACL prior to the 2019-20 season getting underway. Since then, his stock has fallen dramatically. That the Bucks, a team looking to repeat as NBA champions, preferred to maintain roster flexibility instead of keeping him under contract was telling.

In a limited role, Cousins has been effective. He has averaged 26.9 points and 18.0 rebounds per 100 possessions over the last two years, according to Basketball Reference.

You wouldn't think the door is totally closed on him returning to the NBA given his age. A deal probably isn't forthcoming at this late stage of the season, though, so his hopes of a comeback will have to wait until the summer.