DeMarcus Cousins Undecided on NBA Restart Amid ACL Injury Rehab, Says Agent

Veteran center DeMarcus Cousins plans to sit out the remainder of the 2019-20 NBA campaign appear to be up in the air as the league's transaction window opens on Tuesday.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported on Tuesday that Cousins had decided to sit out the remainder of the 2019-20 campaign in order to focus on his rehab from an ACL injury. Charania noted "multiple teams" were interested in possibly signing the four-time All-Star.

However, Jeff Schwartz—Cousins' agent—told Tania Ganguli of the Los Angeles Times that Boogie has not ruled out signing with a team for the NBA restart.

Cousins has missed the entire season after suffering a torn ACL last August while working out.

The hiatus resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic has opened the door for players with long-term injuries to potentially get back on the court.

However, if the 29-year-old opts to sit out, his decision follows similar choices made by other marquee stars. Kevin Durant, who's recovering from a ruptured Achilles, confirmed earlier this month he won't suit up for the Brooklyn Nets. John Wall won't return for the Washington Wizards as he continues his recovery from Achilles surgery.

Victor Oladipo is a slightly different case in that he made 13 appearances for the Indiana Pacers, but the lengthy layoff has caused him to rethink his priorities after having suffered a ruptured right quad tendon in January 2019.

"I feel a whole lot better," Oladipo told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. "I know there's risk going into it with the unique situation that I'm in—being off so long and trying to ramp it up that fast. I've just got to be smart, that's all."

Even for those who are 100 percent healthy, the restart could prove tricky. Players are usually spending this time to unwind and rest. Now, they have to train for meaningful games, leaving some to wonder whether the likelihood of injuries will climb.

And that's to say nothing of the risks presented by staging games in a state that is experiencing a surge of coronavirus cases.