Pelicans' DeMarcus Cousins: Projected to start at center Thursday

Cousins is listed as the Pelicans' projected starter at center for Thursday's game against the Rockets.

Analysis:

Cousins, who was officially acquired Monday from the Kings in a blockbuster deal, practiced with his new team for the first time Wednesday, and it appears that coach Alvin Gentry is ready to deploy the big man alongside Anthony Davis right away out of the All-Star break. While Cousins won't enjoy the same sky-high usage rate he enjoyed in Sacramento as he plays alongside a fellow superstar for the first time in his career, there's a decent chance he'll improve his efficiency after shooting 45.2 percent from the floor and turning the ball over 3.8 times per game in 55 contests with the Kings. That may allow Cousins to come close to maintaining his fantasy value in nine-category leagues, though he'll almost certainly lose more luster in eight-category formats.