Report: DeMarcus Cousins' $2.3M Rockets Contract Guaranteed for Rest of Season

DeMarcus Cousins' performance so far this season has prompted the Houston Rockets to guarantee his contract for the 2020-21 campaign. 

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Rockets have guaranteed Cousins' $2.3 million salary. 

Teams have until Feb. 27 to decide if they want to guarantee deals on non-guaranteed contracts that were signed during the offseason. 

Cousins signed a one-year deal with the Rockets on Dec. 1, giving him an opportunity to rebuild his value after missing all of 2019-20. The 30-year-old was going to play for the Los Angeles Lakers last year, but he tore his ACL during an offseason workout. 

Injuries have derailed Cousins' career dating back to January 2018 when he ruptured his Achilles during a game against the Rockets while playing for the New Orleans Pelicans. The Kentucky alumnus attempted to rebuild his value in 2018-19 with the Golden State Warriors, but he was limited to 30 games during the regular season and missed 14 playoff games with a quad injury. 

At his best, Cousins was one of the best scoring centers in the NBA. He made four consecutive All-Star teams from 2015-18 and averaged 25.2 points per game on 46.6 percent shooting in five seasons from 2014-18. 

Even though this season hasn't been a return to form, Cousins has been an effective role player for a Rockets team that's stuck between trying to compete for a playoff spot and rebuilding. He ranks second on the team with 7.6 rebounds per game, and he has averaged 9.6 points in 25 appearances.