這就是他加盟勇士的原因 你還堅持責怪他嗎？

近日，「表弟」DeMarcus Cousins 終於透露心聲，向廣大的球迷解釋，當初為何會選擇加盟勇士隊，而不是繼續留在塘鵝：
無錯，現在的我已經是一名勇士球員。
我知道有些人依然對我好不滿，話我從來都無認真對待過塘鵝，話我只不過打了一年就執包袱走人，然後就選擇了一條最簡單的路。
事實是，我一直認為我會留在塘鵝，甚至在六月的時候，我還在新奧爾良搵屋，我會為塘鵝打球而感到自豪，我們橫掃了拓荒者，並且為勇士添加了不小的麻煩，畢竟我們是除了火箭外，是唯一一支在季後賽戰勝總冠軍的球隊。就在那輪季後賽裡，我從未如此有過想打球的心情，我依然為塘鵝班隊友感到自豪。
然後自由球員市場正式開啟，有非常多的「傳聞」流出，突然間我發現自己再無法聽到任何有關塘鵝的消息，然後我發現自己都無法聽到其他球隊的消息。這一刻確實非常艱難，我們知道生意有時候就是非常殘酷，我甚至不能判斷這是好還是壞，但是生意場真的不是一個能夠感情用事的地方，當然事實就是如此，我一直期盼自己能夠重返新奧爾良。

當我確定自己不會留在新奧爾良後，我開始出去尋求自己最好的機會，我問經理人有關勇士的電話，我知道他們需要一個內線球員，然後我就打電話給 Bob Myers（經理人）。
Bob Myers 一開始覺得以為是我整蠱他。他反復問了我大概五次「我們是不是認真的？！」，然後我儘可能得用自己的話向他解釋清楚。我告訴他塘鵝同我已經分道揚鑣，我都告訴他其他球隊對我的態度，就是「受傷後的球員已無法恢復巔峰」。然後我告訴他我願意接受底薪，我只是想要一支真正需要我的球隊！
一開始，Bob Myers 希望我能夠與 Kerr （勇士教練）以及其他球員談一談，確保大家都對我的加盟表示同意。所以我打電話給了KD、Curry 以及 Draymond。我有同 Kerr 教練談到，我不確保他們能接受我加盟勇士。但相反的是，他們對於我的加盟無比興奮。

整個事情就是如此，你知道嗎？我曾經到過新奧爾良，但是他們卻沒有為我提供任何容身的地方，然後我打了電話去勇士，事情對於我而言並不是那麼複雜。
這個賽季我一定會強勢崛起，一年之後再回顧現時的一切，我知道這個決定將會是我人生中最好的決定。

*以上是 DeMarcus Cousins 全文部分翻譯，詳情請看原版

引用Yeah, I am a Warrior now.

It was the best basketball decision I ever made, and I’ll tell you why.

But I want to say something real quick about New Orleans. I know some people might still be looking at the situation like, Boogie was never really invested. He left after a year. He took the easy road.

I’m a Mobile, Alabama kid. I got family close by. The truth is, I assumed I was staying. So in June, I’m looking at houses. I knew which neighborhood I wanted to be in — just had to make sure the house would have a yard big enough for my dogs. I’ve got three dogs. Gotti, Biggie and Queenie. They need a good-sized yard to roam.

There was never anything negative with the Pelicans. We felt like we were creating something special. We had AD, we had Jrue, doing what they do on a nightly basis. We were steadily building that foundation you need to win. I was heavy involved in recruiting new guys. I helped get Rajon Rondo. I helped get Jameer Nelson. I helped get Tony Allen, I helped get Ian Clark. I helped get Nikola Mirotic. Even after I was injured, I was making a case for the guys I thought would fit there. Like I said, we were building that foundation.

And last year in the playoffs, I was proud of how those guys played. We swept the Blazers and we gave the Warriors a lot of heart. Look at it: We were the only team, outside of Houston, that took a game off them. I never wanted to play ball more in my life than that series. Still proud of y’all.

Then free agency hit. It was a lot of, We might be interested. We don’t know if it’s the right fit. All of a sudden, I wasn’t hearing from the Pelicans. I wasn’t hearing from no one. That was tough. We in a nasty business, at times. I don’t even say that in a good or bad way. It’s just no place to get too emotional. The facts are still the same. I was expecting to be back in New Orleans, and I was proud of what we were starting there.

Yeah, I am a Warrior now.

It was the best basketball decision I ever made, and I’ll tell you why.

But I want to say something real quick about New Orleans. I know some people might still be looking at the situation like, Boogie was never really invested. He left after a year. He took the easy road.

I’m a Mobile, Alabama kid. I got family close by. The truth is, I assumed I was staying. So in June, I’m looking at houses. I knew which neighborhood I wanted to be in — just had to make sure the house would have a yard big enough for my dogs. I’ve got three dogs. Gotti, Biggie and Queenie. They need a good-sized yard to roam.

There was never anything negative with the Pelicans. We felt like we were creating something special. We had AD, we had Jrue, doing what they do on a nightly basis. We were steadily building that foundation you need to win. I was heavy involved in recruiting new guys. I helped get Rajon Rondo. I helped get Jameer Nelson. I helped get Tony Allen, I helped get Ian Clark. I helped get Nikola Mirotic. Even after I was injured, I was making a case for the guys I thought would fit there. Like I said, we were building that foundation.

And last year in the playoffs, I was proud of how those guys played. We swept the Blazers and we gave the Warriors a lot of heart. Look at it: We were the only team, outside of Houston, that took a game off them. I never wanted to play ball more in my life than that series. Still proud of y’all.

Then free agency hit. It was a lot of, We might be interested. We don’t know if it’s the right fit. All of a sudden, I wasn’t hearing from the Pelicans. I wasn’t hearing from no one. That was tough. We in a nasty business, at times. I don’t even say that in a good or bad way. It’s just no place to get too emotional. The facts are still the same. I was expecting to be back in New Orleans, and I was proud of what we were starting there.


Diego Pardo

I couldn’t sleep for two days. When it was clear I couldn’t stay in New Orleans, I went out and created what would end up being the best opportunity for myself. I asked my agent to set up a call with the Warriors. I knew they could use a big.

I called Bob Myers up.

On God, Bob thought it was a prank. He asked us like five times if we were being serious. I broke it down as clear as I could. I told him about the Pelicans and how nothing was making sense anymore. I told him it was like other teams were treating me like I didn’t have a career left after the injury.

And I said I’d take the minimum. I just wanted a team that wanted me. I was telling him: I wanted to play on the biggest stage and make the most impact I could. After that, Bob wasn’t thinking it was a prank.

First, Bob wanted me to talk to Coach Kerr and the guys, to make sure it was cool with them. So I called up KD. I called up Steph. I talked to Draymond. I talked to Coach Kerr. I wasn’t sure how they’d take the idea of me coming on board. It’s the back-to-back defending champs. I was half expecting them to not want to add anything new to that machine.

But, it was the opposite. They couldn’t have been any more cool with it.

Coach was funny on the phone. He was all about it, asking me how I saw myself in their system, things like that. And then right before we hung up, he goes, “You’re gonna make me have to actually coach this year, huh?”

Steph has been great through all this. He’s been texting me this summer. It’s usually like a photo of him cheesing super hard.

Draymond and I talked a few times. He’s been great. And even KD came through Vegas this summer and we kicked it. The rest of the summer, he was still sending me texts about how he was in shock about it. He’s like, “I still can’t believe this happened.” Me neither, man.

Didn’t talk to Klay until right before training camp. Don’t know where that dude was at this summer. China, is my guess? But for real, I’m looking forward to being that guy’s teammate. All the guys talk about him as the best teammate. Need some of the zen Klay’s got.

Think about this for a second. We are talking a group of MVPs and All-Stars who have won the championship three outta the last four years.

And no egos about adding another guy to the lineup. It’s special.