C.J. McCollum Says He 'Could See' DeMarcus Cousins Signing with Wizards

Portland Trail Blazers star guard C.J. McCollum believes DeMarcus Cousins may "potentially team up with the Washington Wizards" as a free agent this summer.   

"You heard it here first. You heard that here first. You know that Kentucky connection, man," he told the Pull Up podcast (h/t Ryne Nelson of Slam). "I could see that happening. That's just something to think about going forward."

Cousins played with John Wall at Kentucky during the 2009-10 season and reached the Elite Eight. 

Despite that connection, one major factor may keep Cousins from signing in Washington: The Wizards don't have the cap space to sign a player to a maximum deal.

According to Spotrac.com, the Wizards currently have a payroll of $124.8 million for the 2018-19 season, putting them $23.8 million over the cap. Next year, they'll be paying big bucks to Otto Porter Jr. ($26 million), Bradley Beal ($25.4 million), Wall ($19.2 million), Ian Mahinmi ($15.9 million) and Marcin Gortat ($13.6 million). 

So if the Wizards were to make a move for Cousins, they'd either need to move off of multiple salaries or pull off a sign-and-trade with the Pelicans. But even that is unlikely, as Zach Lowe of ESPN.com wrote:

"The Wizards are the most tempting if they bow out in the first round; Cousins and Wall are friends, and the Wizards could build an offer around some combination of Porter, Kelly Oubre Jr., Gortat and a draft pick. But Washington's payroll is so bloated, it may not be allowed under league rules to obtain any player in a sign-and-trade. And given Wall's on-again, off-again knee issues, the Wizards may feel queasy committing a ton of money to Wall and Cousins."

Cousins is coming off of a ruptured Achilles, which may limit his market. But even on a deal at less than the max, the Wizards don't have the cap space to sign him, meaning the most likely scenario is either the Pelicans bringing him back on a two- or three-year deal, as Lowe posited, or a desperate team like the Phoenix Suns or Dallas Mavericks opening up the checkbook for him.

In other words, Cousins to the Wizards feels like a long shot despite McCollum's hunch.