DeMarcus Cousins' injury leaves three questions with big ramifications for Pelicans

DeMarcus Cousins grabbed an offensive rebound, finished through contact and went to the free throw line for the traditional 3-point play. The All-Star center was looking to put the Pelicans ahead of the Rockets by five points with only 15 seconds remaining in regulation Friday night at Smoothie King Center. Cousins' free throw attempt was long, but he chased it down in an effort to regain possession and kill what was left of the clock. Suddenly, Cousins was unable to put any weight on his left leg, and watching the game live, the initial fear was there: a dreaded Achilles injury. Two of Cousins' teammates carried him off the floor, and shortly after the game the bad news came. Cousins had suffered a season-ending left Achilles tear, an injury with far-reaching impact on not only the big man himself, but also the future of the franchise. With Cousins out for the next six to 10 months, here are three big questions worth exploring — but unlikely to be answered for quite some time:. How does this affect DeMarcus Cousins?.First of all, this injury is a giant bummer for Cousins. He was putting the finishing touches on his second triple-double (15 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists) of the past three games after a monster line against the Bulls on Monday (44 points, 23 rebounds, 10 assists). He was averaging 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists while shooting 47 percent from the field and 35. 4 percent from 3-point range.This season marked a fourth consecutive appearance on the All-Star team, but more importantly, it looked as though Cousins would finally reach the playoffs for the first time in his career after struggling through six-plus ugly seasons in Sacramento. With the frequent (and often fair) criticisms of Cousins' effort and attitude, it feels cruel he was injured on a hustle play, in a win, against one of the Western Conference's top teams. Achilles injuries can severely reduce the effectiveness of previously productive players, as we saw most prominently with Kobe Bryant. It's not as though Cousins at 70 or 80 percent suddenly becomes a bench guy, but there's no guarantee he returns as the "Boogie" we've all come to know. As for the long-term outlook, this could seriously affect how the Pelicans approach contract negotiations with Cousins this offseason. Prior to the injury, New Orleans was expected to hand Cousins a five-year, $175 million contract when he became a free agent this summer. There were already questions about giving Cousins that much money with his past issues, so this only makes the situation more complicated. Teams like the Lakers and Mavericks could be in play for Cousins' services, but are the Pelicans still willing to put that contract on the table when the time comes? Would they put him on the trade block? That leads to . How does this affect the Pelicans?.The absence of Cousins does immediate damage to the Pelicans' playoff hopes. New Orleans extended its winning streak to four games by defeating Houston, a