Former All-Star center heads overseas after failing to land NBA contract

The former All-Star becomes the second former All-Star to head to Taiwan. Dwight Howard spent last season with the Taoyuan Leopards. Howard had failed to secure a contract with an NBA team following his departure from the Los Angeles Lakers. The primary difference, though, is that Cousins is currently only scheduled to play a handful of games. 

Cousins, 33, has been a free agent since leaving the Denver Nuggets at the end of the 2021-22 season. During his prime, he was a true force in the middle of the court and could get buckets from anywhere on the floor. However, a string of injuries cost the veteran big man most of his prime years. He's been struggling to earn a consistent role ever since.

After being out of the NBA for over a season, Cousins is likely hoping to put in some good performances during his time with the Beer Leopards. The thinking is likely that if he can dominate over a small sample size, he could generate some interest in his services, either around the NBA or overseas. Cousins could potentially follow a similar route to Kemba Walker, who struggled to stick on an NBA roster after a persistent knee issue and is now coming off the bench for Monaco. 

Nevertheless, Cousins should look at Howard's struggles if he's looking to find himself another shot in the league this season despite his time in Taiwan. Playing well against lower-level opposition isn't always enough to generate interest that could lead to a contract offer. Still, playing competitive basketball could be enough to appease the former lottery pick, even if he does believe he can still bring something to an NBA team's bench.