After the Golden State Warriors defeated the New Orleans Pelicans Wednesday night at Oracle Arena, Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins and Alvin Gentry had a animated discussion on the court.
Cousins played with the Pelicans last season, but tore his Achilles tendon in January. The All-Star big man reportedly rejected a two-year contract extension in the $40 million range from the Pelicans after he tore his left Achilles tendon before the season ended. When that offer was declined by Cousins, the Pelicans took it off the table.
DeMarcus Cousins didn’t receive any offers once free agency began July 1, so he called the Warriors and expressed interest in joining their already stacked roster. The phone call worked, as Boogie signed a one-year, $5.3 million deal with Golden State.
Article Continues BelowMany around the league thought DeMarcus Cousins, Alvin Gentry and Anthony Davis were having a heated conversation, but Gentry told Marc J. Spears of the Undefeated it was just some friendly trash talk between friends.
Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry offered strong respect for a still-injured Cousins prior to New Orleans' loss to the Warriors on Wednesday, and Cousins has said that he was fond of Gentry.
Davis, Gentry and Cousins had an animated discussion after the Pelicans' loss to the Warriors that Gentry said was just old friends laughing and trash-talking.
“I think the world of him,” Gentry said. “I think he is the best player at his position in the league.”
The NBA is a business, and both the Pelicans and Cousins had to handle their own. New Orleans didn't want to pay Cousins max money because he's coming off an injury that is really hard to come back from.
Cousins, meanwhile, thought other teams on the market would offer him something because of how talented he is. That didn't happen, though, as teams were weary of his attitude and the injury, so he joined the best team in the league on a minimum deal, knowing he could take his time with his recovery.