Veteran centers Cousins, Pau Gasol on the move

momo


  • 2021-02-24 HKT 07:43″ title=”DeMarcus Cousins (L), 30, is already linked to several contenders. File photo: Reuters”>


    DeMarcus Cousins (L), 30, is already linked to several contenders. File photo: Reuters
    DeMarcus Cousins (L), 30, is already linked to several contenders. File photo: Reuters

  • 2021-02-24 HKT 07:43″ title=”Pau Gasol is returning to the club where he began his professional basketball career. File photo: AFP”>


    Pau Gasol is returning to the club where he began his professional basketball career. File photo: AFP
    Pau Gasol is returning to the club where he began his professional basketball career. File photo: AFP


The DeMarcus Cousins era in Houston has ended before one full season together.

The Rockets announced that they are releasing Cousins after 25 games with the team. The former four-time All-Star center averaged 9.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and shot 37.6% overall with Houston.

Shams Charania of The Athletic was first to report the news.

The decision to move on from Cousins was not a shocking one for Houston, as reports of he and the team planning to part ways surfaced over the weekend.

The Rockets have struggled this season, starting off 3-6 as talk of trading former Kia MVP and Houston star James Harden hovered over the team.

Per Charania, the Rockets are making the move to release Cousins so he can have time to find a team on the open market. Houston guaranteed Cousins’ US$2.3 million salary last week.

Houston has several youngsters in the frontcourt — including Christian Wood, Jae’Sean Tate, Danuel House — it is looking to give more of an opportunity to and moving on from Cousins helps facilitate that notion.

Meanwhile, Pau Gasol is going home, announcing that he will sign to play with FC Barcelona again and rejoin the franchise with which he started his professional basketball career more than 20 years ago.

The Spaniard has previously said he wants to play in his fifth Olympic Games but that he needs to be playing this season to give himself a chance of making it to Tokyo.

Gasol is a six-time NBA All-Star, winning a pair of championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. The 40-year-old who was born in Barcelona last appeared in the NBA on March 10, 2019, for Milwaukee.

“I’m happy to return to the club where I began, and I’m excited about this new opportunity,” he wrote in a post on social media. “I hope to contribute to the first team very soon. I want to thank Barca and its technical staff for making it possible to join them.”

Earlier this week he had denied the move to Barcelona, saying he remained “focused on my recovery and I am not ready to get back to competing just yet.” His statements Tuesday made no mention of the Olympics.

Gasol debuted for Barcelona in the 1998-99 season, was part of two Liga ACB — the top Spanish league — championships in three years, then was the No. 3 pick in the 2001 NBA draft.

He was the rookie of the year for Memphis in 2002, won three Olympic medals with Spain and was part of the team that won the FIBA world championship, now called the Basketball World Cup, in 2006. (AP)