The LA Clippers are still searching for their first championship and first NBA Finals appearance in the Kawhi Leonard era. They have certainly had their share of bad luck over the last five years, especially considering all the untimely injuries to star players.
But they have also had some excellent role players alongside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. One prominent name that has donned the Clippers uniform during the "213" era is DeMarcus Cousins. The big man affectionately known as Boogie played 16 games with LA during the 2020-21 season.
Cousins, appearing on the Above The Rim NBA Podcast, revealed that he nearly returned to the Clippers after his brief stint with them. According to DeMarcus, he was wanted on the team by important members of the organization.
"My last year, I had Kawhi and on my lap, 'bro, we're trying to get you here.' But Lawrence Frank determines if I'm good enough or not. Your two franchise guys want me there."
Demarcus cousins talking about how kawhi and others wanted DMC but L frank opposed. Dwight said it was the same with him and steph curry and the warriors. And how this led to depression for them. pic.twitter.com/30qvCsyVaR
— Jamal Cristopher (@JamCristopher) September 24, 2024
Kawhi Leonard wanted Boogie on the Clippers, Lawrence Frank didn't
This is a disappointing but far from shocking outcome. It is unfortunate that both Kawhi and George supposedly wanted Cousins back on the Clippers, and the deal couldn't get done because the team President did not agree.
Ultimately, upper management has the final say when it comes to roster decisions and things of that nature. This is the result that Clippers fans have to live with. Still, it is hard not to sit back and think how things could have been different in the 2021-22 season or beyond if DeMarcus had been part of LA's roster.
Frank's choice not to bring on Boogie was his personal decision, and the deciding factor could have been any number of things that we do not know about. But it is unsettling at some level that he would not accommodate his team's best player when it came to bringing on a useful role player.
Cousins is now out of the NBA and has been since the end of the 2021-22 season. He last played for the Denver Nuggets the season before their championship year. It remains to be seen if he can still make an NBA comeback, but it at least seems Kawhi Leonard would not mind having him in Los Angeles at all.