DeMarcus Cousins 50-50 to play in Wednesday's exhibition game

Lost somewhat in Tuesday's news that Derrick Rose has been slowed some by knee soreness was the fact that DeMarcus Cousins only considers himself a 50-50 proposition to suit up for USA Basketball when they take on the Dominican Republic in an exhibition game Wednesday.

Cousins tweaked his right knee in a scrimmage last Thursday and only just returned to practice in full Tuesday. While there is no structural damage, it makes sense to bring him along slowly, though that may put his chances of making the final roster in jeopardy.

For what it's worth, head coach Mike Krzyzewski was more optimistic than Cousins when estimating the chances the Sacramento Kings center suits up:

"He did well today, he’ll play tomorrow … I’m expecting him to play. He should be a guy who’s in the rotation. The fact that he’s come here and I’ve gotten to know him, I can push him better and I can understand him better. He gives us somebody different when Anthony is out of the game. But we still have decisions about whether you might (have) Anthony at the 4 and one of the other bigs, DeMarcus or one of the others, at the 5."

Having already missed Friday's exhibition, Cousins would lose perhaps his final opportunity to solidify a roster spot over Mason Plumlee and Andre Drummond if he can't go Wednesday. With that said, the program isn't firmly committed to trimming the roster to 12 after Wednesday's game, so in that event he could be given a stay of execution until after Friday's exhibition against Puerto Rico.