DeMarcus Cousins never wanted to leave the New Orleans Pelicans, so much so that he helped the organization bring in players to help the team become better.

In a wide-ranging piece for The Players' Tribune, Cousins wrote that he recruited Rajon Rondo to the Pelicans and some other players because he felt the organization was building something special.

“We were steadily building that foundation you need to win. I was heavy involved in recruiting new guys. I helped get Rajon Rondo. I helped get Jameer Nelson. I helped get Tony Allen, I helped get Ian Clark. I helped get Nikola Mirotic. Even after I was injured, I was making a case for the guys I thought would fit there. Like I said, we were building that foundation.”

After Cousins tore his Achilles tendon in January, his future in New Orleans came into question. The team played better and faster without him. The Pelicans swept the Portland Trail Blazers in the first-round of the 2018 playoffs.

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Cousins reportedly turned down an extension from the Pelicans before the season ended and didn't receive any offers from other teams once free agency started in July. So, the All-Star big man decided to give the Golden State Warriors a call.

“I called Bob Myers up. On God, Bob thought it was a prank. He asked us like five times if we were being serious. I broke it down as clear as I could. I told him about the Pelicans and how nothing was making sense anymore. I told him it was like other teams were treating me like I didn’t have a career left after the injury.

And I said I’d take the minimum. I just wanted a team that wanted me. I was telling him: I wanted to play on the biggest stage and make the most impact I could. After that, Bob wasn’t thinking it was a prank.”

DeMarcus Cousins signed a one-year, $5.3 million deal with Golden State. Before getting injured last season, Cousins was averaging 25.2 points and 12.9 rebounds in 48 games while shooting 47.0 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from 3 with the Pelicans.

Cousins is still recovering from his injury and it is unknown when he will return to action.