Golden State Warriors Coach Steve Kerr Excited Over Prospect Of Cousins Joining Dubs

The Golden State Warriors could use a big guy inside the basketball court, a void that was originally meant for DeMarcus Cousins. Since suffering an Achilles injury, Boogie has spent the last couple of months in rehab, getting back into shape. But it seems that the Dub may soon get just a big boost.

According to NBC Sports, Cousins returned to the Bay Area after a weekend trip to Alabama. The NBA all-star center recently attended a funeral service for his grandmother, but he is now back at practice. And based on the report, it seems head coach Steve Kerr likes what he sees.

Kerr is excited mainly because Cousins is in the final stages of his rehab. Though his official return date to active duty remains unknown, it would be a big boost to the Warriors, who have tried to hold up the fort without an actual center for the past six weeks. Several names have been linked to Golden State, but nothing has gone down.

Aside from that, the Dubs could have also tried the 10-day contract window where they could temporarily fill in the void. It seems they would prefer to avoid that option.

Cousins has yet to get official medical clearance, something that could happen this week or in the coming weeks. He is likely to play on restricted minutes, meaning other players like Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, Jonas Jerebko and Jordan Bell will still do some big men duties until Boogie proves he is at full strength.

A lot hinges on Cousins' return. As mentioned in a previous post, one concern is his fate after the current season. He signed a one-year $5.3 million deal for the 2018-19 NBA season, and the Dubs have yet to see if that investment has paid off. Should he opt to stay on with the Warriors, the maximum paycheck he could get is $6.4 million for the 2019-20 season.

For now, Cousins' future stint may be irrelevant to him, and the Dubs are focused on getting the current season done. His performance may very well dictate what lies ahead for him -- whether his future is in the Bay Area or somewhere else. Once he is able to log in longer minutes, Boogie is likely to use that as an audition which the Warriors and other NBA teams may use to gauge if the temperamental all-star center still has the hops to keep in step with other centers and forwards in the league.