Bob Myers Didn't Think Signing DeMarcus Cousins Was a Reality Before Free Agency

Golden State Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers said he was surprised when DeMarcus Cousins reached out to him during free agency, according to Mark Medina of the Mercury News, calling it "one of those unexpected moments."

"If you asked me before, I'm not going to say DeMarcus Cousins we thought was a reality going into free agency," Myers added.

The Warriors signed Cousins to the $5.3 million taxpayer mid-level exception this summer, giving them a potential starting five of Cousins, Draymond Green, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Steph Curry. All five players were All-Stars last season. Add Andre Iguodala to the mix, and the Warriors' top six players have combined for three MVP awards and 26 All-Star Game appearances. 

Oh, and the Warriors have won three of the past four titles, too.

Of course, Cousins was available to the Warriors for a few reasons. For one, the center market in free agency generally dried up after DeAndre Jordan signed with the Dallas Mavericks. For another, Cousins is coming off a ruptured Achilles, with an uncertain timetable for return. 

"The goal for us is to have him in the playoffs," Myers said Sunday, per Medina. "That doesn't mean we'll wait until the playoffs. When he's ready to play, he'll play. We just don't know when that will be."

Many teams that may have otherwise been interested in Boogie likely were put off by the uncertainty of his return. How much of a financial commitment could a team that was looking to compete immediately make for a player who could miss a major chunk of the season?

And what if Cousins isn't the same player as he was before the injury?

For most teams, those risks outweighed any potential returns. But the Warriors were already the best team in basketball before Cousins' signing. They could afford the risk, and they can afford to be patient with his recovery. 

"I think the surgery is anywhere from eight to ten months from the time you have it," Myers noted. "For us, it won't be, 'We need you to get out there tonight.' It'll be ramping it up slowly. You can't really tell with a guy until they get on the court and does certain things."