DeMarcus Cousins has issued his first apology to the Warriors, and coach Steve Kerr made it clear Sunday that he wants it to be the last expression of atonement from the rehabilitating big man.
Despite being inactive and dressed in street clothes, Cousins was ejected during the first quarter of the Warriors-Knicks game Friday night at Madison Square Garden for arguing with crew chief Scott Foster.
Cousins, who has a history of volatility with officials, went to Kerr on Saturday and expressed his regret.
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“He apologized,” Kerr told reporters Sunday in Brooklyn, prior to tipoff against the Nets. “He understands this is a different role, a different team, a different situation. So he’s got to move forward in his career, and he knows that.
“That kind of stuff, it’s not going to help us win a championship. It’s not going to help his reputation, and I think he understands that. And I think he immediately regretted what happened. So I really appreciated him coming to me and making that pretty clear. And I don’t expect it happen again.”
Cousins is rehabbing from surgery on his left Achilles tendon, which was ruptured in January. Though the 6-foot-10, 270-pound center has been traveling with the team, there is no timeline for his return.
Upon becoming a free agent last July, Cousins signed a one-year contract with the Warriors worth $5.3 million. This amounts to a trial season, as he hopes to cash in with a long-term deal next July.