BIG MOVES
How the signing of DeMarcus Cousins could fix the Rockets
Nov 24, 2020, 10:06 am
The Rockets signed another big man on Monday. Photo by Elsa/Getty Images
A lot can happen in a week. The Rockets have been reminding everyone of that almost daily.
Ten days ago, it looked like former MVP Russell Westbrook was out the door. Two days after that their other former MVP James Harden looked out the door as well. Trades were made, draft picks were acquired, and then (as should have been expected by now) draft picks were traded.
Then free agency kicked off and Houston dove right in. They immediately addressed their size issue by signing 6' 10" power forward Christian Wood, a versatile big man with the long range shot the Rockets crave. They followed that up with a few dart board throws at some three and D candidates in Sterling Brown, and Jae'Sean Tate. Overall, it was a very savvy, calculated, and safe start to free agency.
Monday afternoon is when things got very interesting, with former four time all-star DeMarcus Cousins announcing that he would be joining the Rockets on a non-guaranteed veterans minimum deal. Suddenly the team with one of the smallest frontcourts to end last season became potentially one of the most intriguing. While healthy, Cousins was one of the most dominant big men in the league.
The key word there, is when healthy.
The former Kentucky product has had an unfortunate run of career-sidelining injuries dating back to the 2017-2018 season when he tore his Achilles on the very same court of Toyota Center he hopes to play for this season. Following that injury, Cousins joined the Warriors on a one year $5.3M deal as a sort of try out to the league that he was still capable of performing at an all star level. By the end of the season though, he had torn a quad and then later sustained an ACL tear during the offseason.
This is, essentially, take three of a "prove it" contract.
For the Rockets, it's a win-win scenario.
Cousins joins a long list of players the Rockets had targeted for years and finally signed well after their value had slid. I'm looking at you, Nene, Carmelo Anthony, Westbrook, and Chris Paul. The difference is that this acquisition—unlike the latter two examples—didn't require the Rockets to mortgage the farm in order to take the chance. In much the same way they brought Anthony in, if it doesn't work, they can get rid of him without any issue.
But if it does work, oh boy.
Cousins, at 6' 11" and 269 pounds, is a force in the paint when healthy. Where it becomes intriguing is his ability to shoot from long range as well which, as mentioned before, is almost as much a prerequisite to having a spot on the Rockets roster as an Uber driver needs a car.
Cousins, however, is most effective when creating his own shot. That requires his own share of the ball alongside two of the most ball dominant guards in the league. Queue the "are they going to play with more than one ball" talking points that the Rockets have heard for the past four years. They said it with Paul. They said it with Westbrook. They'll say it with Cousins.
Until I see it on the court, I'm going to refrain from that tired narrative. With Paul it worked fine. With Westbrook it's worked fine at times. It all comes down to scheme, wins, and buy-in. If the scheme works, the wins build up, and there's more buy in. The more buy in, the more wins, and so on.
This is all under the assumption that Westbrook, Harden, and Cousins are all still wearing the same jersey once the season begins. It seems likely that that is the case, as Westbrook's trade value plummeted following his performance against the Lakers in the playoffs. It's possible that a hot start could lower the temperature enough that everyone chooses to stay, but that's also pure conjecture.
In any case, signing Cousins was a great call. If he's healthy, even getting 70% of the production from his all star form would have a massive impact. It may be the calming salve to keep the team together, it could possibly be what gets them over the hump. But at the very least, and worst case, it serves as a solid backup plan in the event that Harden or Westbrook are moved.
If he's healthy.
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It’s May 1, and the Astros are turning heads—but not for the reasons anyone expected. Their resurgence, driven not by stars like Yordan Alvarez or Christian Walker, but by a cast of less-heralded names, is writing a strange and telling early-season story.
Christian Walker, brought in to add middle-of-the-order thump, has yet to resemble the feared hitter he was in Arizona. Forget the narrative of a slow starter—he’s never looked like this in April. Through March and April of 2025, he’s slashing a worrying .196/.277/.355 with a .632 OPS. Compare that to the same stretch in 2024, when he posted a .283 average, .496 slug, and a robust .890 OPS, and it becomes clear: this is something more than rust. Even in 2023, his April numbers (.248/.714 OPS) looked steadier.
What’s more troubling than the overall dip is when it’s happening. Walker is faltering in the biggest moments. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting just .143 over 33 plate appearances, including 15 strikeouts. The struggles get even more glaring with two outs—.125 average, .188 slugging, and a .451 OPS in 19 such plate appearances. In “late and close” situations, when the pressure’s highest, he’s practically disappeared: 1-for-18 with a .056 average and a .167 OPS.
His patience has waned (only 9 walks so far, compared to 20 by this time last year), and for now, his presence in the lineup feels more like a placeholder than a pillar.
The contrast couldn’t be clearer when you look at José Altuve—long the engine of this franchise—who, in 2024, delivered in the moments Walker is now missing. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Altuve hit .275 with an .888 OPS. In late and close situations, he thrived with a .314 average and .854 OPS. That kind of situational excellence is missing from this 2025 squad—but someone else may yet step into that role.
And yet—the Astros are winning. Not because of Walker, but in spite of him.
Houston’s offense, in general, hasn’t lit up the leaderboard. Their team OPS ranks 23rd (.667), their slugging 25th (.357), and they sit just 22nd in runs scored (117). They’re 26th in doubles, a rare place for a team built on gap-to-gap damage.
But where there’s been light, it hasn’t come from the usual spots. Jeremy Peña, often overshadowed in a lineup full of stars, now boasts the team’s highest OPS at .791 (Isaac Paredes is second in OPS) and is flourishing in his new role as the leadoff hitter. Peña’s balance of speed, contact, aggression, and timely power has given Houston a surprising tone-setter at the top.
Even more surprising: four Astros currently have more home runs than Yordan Alvarez.
And then there’s the pitching—Houston’s anchor. The rotation and bullpen have been elite, ranking 5th in ERA (3.23), 1st in WHIP (1.08), and 4th in batting average against (.212). In a season where offense is lagging and clutch hits are rare, the arms have made all the difference.
For now, it’s the unexpected contributors keeping Houston afloat. Peña’s emergence. A rock-solid pitching staff. Role players stepping up in quiet but crucial ways. They’re not dominating, but they’re grinding—and in a sluggish AL West, that may be enough.
Walker still has time to find his swing. He showed some signs of life against Toronto and Detroit. If he does, the Astros could become dangerous. If he doesn’t, the turnaround we’re witnessing will be credited to a new cast of unlikely faces. And maybe, that’s the story that needed to be written.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!
*ChatGPT assisted.
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