DeMarcus Cousins on Technical for Shoe Toss: I Guess Refs Want Me to Risk Injury

Golden State Warriors star DeMarcus Cousins has earned plenty of technicals throughout his career, but the latest one left him looking for answers.

With a little less than five minutes to play in Monday night's game, Charlotte Hornets guard Jeremy Lamb lost his shoe in the middle of the floor. That's when the referees handed Cousins a technical foul for grabbing the sneaker and tossing it off the court:

The big man attempted to plead his case to the refs—to no avail. After the game, he told reporters the rogue shoe was a hazard:

"Next time I'll just step on the shoe and roll my ankle, break it, tear an Achilles," Cousins said after the 121-110 victory. "Just leave it out there next time. I guess that's what they want. I'll keep that in mind."

Cousins' explanation worked, because the league rescinded the technical Tuesday, according to Mark Medina of the Mercury News.

With 123 career technicals in his nine-year career, it's possible Cousins felt targeted. However, he is not the first NBA player to get whistled for a shoe-related technical. Just last month, Houston Rockets guard Patrick Beverley earned one for walking away with New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis' sneaker.

In 2015, Denver Nuggets guard Will Barton was T'ed up for throwing then-Houston Rockets forward Trevor Ariza's shoe.

Cousins was not alone in his confusion Monday, though, as Golden State coach Steve Kerr was also perplexed.

"I don't know what the rule is," Kerr said after the game, per ESPN.com's Nick Friedell. "I don't know if there's an automatic rule that if you toss another guy's shoe out of the bounds—on the other hand it's right in the way, somebody could get injured. So I wasn't really aware of what the rule was. He got the technical, so I guess that's the rule."

Meanwhile, Warriors star Stephen Curry said he had seen the call made before. The two-time NBA MVP suggested his teammate be less aggressive.

"He's got to be a little bit more delicate throwing it to the sideline—like horseshoes," Curry said after the game, per Friedell. "Just got to touch the line and sit down, not throw it in the stands. He's too strong; that's all. Too strong."

Fortunately for Boogie and Co., the since-overturned technical didn't cost them, as the game was all but wrapped up at that point.

Cousins had arguably his best game of the season against the Hornets, recording 24 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.