Two seasons ago, DeMarcus Cousins was poised to hit a massive payday. Then he tore his left Achilles tendon in a January matchup between his New Orleans Pelicans and the Houston Rockets, altering the course of his NBA career. Instead of a long-term max deal, Cousins signed with the Golden State Warriors for $5.3 million on a mid-level exception deal that gave him a shot to win a championship and prove doubters that didn't think he could come back from such a devastating injury wrong.