Detroit Pistons: Time to boogie for DeMarcus Cousins?

The Detroit Pistons are in need of a center due to the injury to Kelly Olynyk. This is not a ‘building for the future’ moment, they need a big man right now. The best big man on the open market is DeMarcus ‘Boogie’ Cousins. That would make things interesting.

The Pistons were not deep at the center position at full strength, but with forward/center Kelly Olynyk now out for at least six weeks with a knee injury, they are about as deep as a small puddle.

Yes, Isaiah Stewart is still manning the middle. But he is foul prone and just starting his second season. To ask him to shoulder the whole load would be unfair to his development. He also is not a major scoring threat, which Olynyk provided.

The only true center on the roster is rookie late second-round pick Luka Garza. I am all for ‘Gar-zilla’ seeing some time, but not yet as an NBA starting center.

On a team shooting a historically bad percentage, losing Olynyk is even a bigger blow. He was averaging 12.5 points a game, third-best on Detroit.

The Pistons have not gotten off to a good start to the NBA season. In part because of an absolutely brutal schedule, in part due to that historically bad shooting thing.

But there is still plenty of time to turn it around. Maybe the Brooklyn Nets are not looking over their shoulder at Detroit, but a spot in the play-in tournament, which simply means finishing 10th in the 15-team Eastern Conference, is certainly an attainable goal.

Since the Pistons are looking at the future, they certainly do not want to give up any assets for what is a short-term problem. Detroit needs a legitimate scoring big man they can plug in and have them contribute right away.

Best option available: DeMarcus Cousins

The first thought was bring back Aron Baynes, but he is out for the season with nerve damage suffered at the Olympics.

Now, could the offense-starved Pistons use a career 20-point scorer and four time All-Star? Sure.

Before all the fans flip out, going ‘He’s old”, ‘He’s washed up’  or ‘He’s DeMarcus Cousins’ about acquiring him, consider these three factors:

1. He would cost almost nothing, The guy is looking for a job and a chance to play, both available in Detroit.
2. Pistons need a rent-a-center. Olynyk is not out for the year, Detroit just needs someone they can plug in for a couple of months.
3. Cousins immediately becomes the Pistons best low-post scoring option. Defense’s would have to respect him, that could open things up for Jerami Grant and Cade Cunningham.

Detroit needs to do something to shake up its offensive (did I mention historically bad) woes. Cousins might not be much help on the defensive end, but he can get you buckets, something few other players are doing, at the moment.

Yes, this is a season to make a title run, but getting smacked every game is not helping young players development. It is time for the Pistons to shke things up and inject some scoring punch into the lineup.

It is time to Boogie.