‘THREE!’ chronicles the Warriors run to the 2018 NBA Championship.

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LAS VEGAS — The two close friends talk to each other nearly any chance they can. So when DeMarcus Cousins expressed interest in joining Golden State even at only the taxpayer midlevel exception ($5.3 million), Warriors coach Steve Kerr had a trusted source to consult. It turns out that trusted source also coached Cousins for the past 1 1/2 seasons.

“I just said you have to be straight up with him,” New Orleans Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry told The Bay Area News Group. “I enjoyed coaching DeMarcus. I think he is a talent and I think he wants to win. I think that if you got those two things right there, you have an opportunity to have some success. We had success with him. I wish him nothing but the best.”

Gentry stressed that “there was an interest in bringing him back” despite Cousins missing the last 34 regular-season games and nine playoff appearances after injuring his left Achilles tendon. But not enough for Cousins, who had averaged 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists, while also shooting 47 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from 3-point range. After the Pelicans acquired Cousins from the Sacramento Kings before the 2016 trade deadline, he complemented All-Star forward Anthony Davis with 24.4 points on 45.2 percent shooting, 12.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 17 games.

“He gave us a situation that we were a tough matchup for any team,” Gentry said. “We had two big guys that were skilled, can play and do a lot of things.”

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Normally, that would not be a question. But Cousins faces uncertainty on both his health and how well he can integrate into a lineup that features four All-Stars in Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson.

Cousins accepted Kerr’s forewarning that he would not have the same opportunities as he had in Sacramento and New Orleans. Cousins has argued his past experience with all the Warriors’ All-Stars with USA Basketball will help that integration process. And after serving as Kerr’s lead assistant coach in the 2014-15 championship season, Gentry has a unique perspective on how the Warriors’ star talent and team-oriented culture will bring out the best in Cousins.

“He’s going to be fine. He’s playing on a great team with great guys,” Gentry said. “He just has to get himself healthy. If he gets himself healthy, it was a no brainer, anyway.”

After all, the Warriors did not retain veteran centers Zaza Pachulia, JaVale McGee and David West. That left the Warriors expanding roles for second-year forward Jordan Bell, third-year center Damian Jones and fourth-year forward Kevon Looney, who accepted a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal to return.

“He’s a great talent. That’s a position they were the weakest on the team,” Gentry said. “If he’s healthy, he’s the best player in the [center] position in the league.”

Follow Bay Area News Group Warriors beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.