DeMarcus Cousins will be back sooner rather than later.
According to a new report by Logan Murdock of the Bay Area News Group, the Warriors' All-Star big man is on track to return from a torn Achilles after Christmas despite the fact that Cousins was pushing to play as soon as the team's upcoming five-game road trip.
"The determination was made during a meeting on Friday between Cousins and Golden State's training staff, including head trainer Rick Celebrini. Before the meeting, Cousins was hoping to join the lineup during the team's upcoming five-game trip. There have been no setbacks in the recovery process and the decision to push back Cousins' target date was made so he can regain his conditioning and enter the lineup at peak form."
Cousins has participated in a few scrimmages, including one on Saturday and another on Monday. According to a player who participated during the scrimmage, Cousins looked "solid."
While Cousins will not be in the lineup, the rest of his healthy Warriors teammates will take the floor on Monday night when they host the Orlando Magic at Oracle Arena (10:30 p.m. ET -- watch on fuboTV with the NBA TV extension).
The four-time All-Star signed a one-year, $5.2 million deal before the season and it was initially expected that he wouldn't return until January or possibly even February. However, considering there was at least some consideration that Cousins would return in the team's upcoming five-game road trip, that means his recovery went along faster than expected.
The 28-year-old Cousins was having the best season of his eight-year career prior to his Achilles tear last season. Cousins had averaged 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.6 blocks per game, becoming one of just several players in NBA history to average those types of numbers in a single season.
Although the Warriors are coming off of impressive back-to-back victories over the Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings over the weekend, they have still struggled as of late, losing four of their prior five games.
With the Warriors looking more vulnerable than ever during their championship run, they'll hope the addition of Cousins will help bring their invincibility back in time for their playoff run in 2019.
