Utah Jazz To Call-Up Marcus Cousin From The NBA D-League's Austin Toros

The Utah Jazz had six players miss practice this morning according to the Deseret News -- Paul Millsap (knee), Andrei Kirilenko (back), Ronnie Price (toe), Francisco Elson (ankle and knee), Kyrylo Fesenko (back) and Mehmet Okur (back) -- but there's help on the way from the NBA D-League.

Ridiculous Upside has confirmed that Marcus Cousin, a 6-foot-11 center, is expected to be signed by the Jazz to a 10-day contract after averaging 14.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 38 games -- all starts -- for the Austin Toros this season.

The 24-year-old center began his college career at Seton Hall before transferring to Houston where he registered 10.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks as a senior before being invited to play for the Houston Rockets' Summer League team in 2009 after a solid showing at the Portsmouth Invitational.

The Jazz should be familiar with what to expect from Cousin as he worked out for the team leading up to the 2009 NBA Draft and was coached in Austin by former Utah Flash head coach Brad Jones.

Cousin seemingly went off the radar last season with a sub-par showing overseas split between Turkey and Israel, but the San Antonio Spurs brought him in this preseason so that they could get a closer look at him with the Toros. Cousin obviously proved that the Spurs intrigue was right, but with no room on the roster, Cousin has been scooped up by the Jazz.

The big man is about as close as one will get to a traditional center from the D-League as Synergy Sports Technology shows that his top four offensive options are post-ups, cuts, offensive rebounds and being the roll man in pick-and-roll. The he relies on most is the jump hook but he has a good amount of post moves that he's relied on this season.

Defensively, Cousin is fundamentally sound in the low post despite the low number of blocks and steals. Where he struggles however, is when he's matched up with quicker players that can take him off the dribble (as Draft Express noted earlier this season).

My only hope is that there's a Sundiata Gaines-type moment in his future.