The New Orleans Pelicans have internally discussed offering DeMarcus Cousins a shorter team deal for less than the full max, according to sources.
The Pelicans could offer a two- or three-year deal as Cousins recovers from a torn Achilles.
There will only be a small handful of teams with max cap space this offseason and most won't want to pursue Cousins at a max level.
The Pelicans have leverage over Cousins due to this fact, as well as how well they've played without him.
New Orleans could work out a sign-and-trade with Cousins, though it is difficult to find a logical partner.