It has been two weeks since the Houston Rockets waived DeMarcus Cousins, and the veteran big man still finds himself without a team. While this delay could be partially attributed to Cousins’ inconsistent play this season, the four-time All-Star is still more than capable of providing size, rebounding, and the ability to stretch the floor for a team in need. That is where the Miami Heat come into the picture.
Keeping Pace In The East
The Heat are stuck in 6th place in the crowded Eastern Conference, sitting at 18-18 coming out of the All-Star break. With seven teams currently within two games of Miami, now is not the time to sit still. Now is the time to make moves and recalibrate for the stretch run. Not only would adding Cousins provide size that the Heat are in desperate need of, but signing him would also keep him from going to another contender within the conference. The Brooklyn Nets’ signing of Blake Griffin was only the first piece of the buyout bubble. The Heat would be smart to make a run at Cousins, especially with their Disabled Player Exception. The possibility that Cousins could end up in Toronto or on another possible playoff opponent should at least play a role in their thinking.
Keeping Up On The Boards
The Heat come out of the All-Star Break ranked 27th in the NBA in rebounding with 42.4 per game. This is not a huge surprise. Besides Bam Adebayo feasting on the boards, the team doesn’t have an established rebounder. Kelly Olynyk anchors many lineups the Heat run out, and his play-style is not conducive to elite rebounding numbers. While rookie Precious Achiuwa has helped to pick up some of the rebounding slack, it has not been enough. While Cousins struggled with his efficiency this year, he once again put up quality rebounding numbers. In fact, Cousins’ 13.6 rebounds-per-36 this season is even a career high.
DeMarcus Cousins may have shown in Houston that his lateral quickness and post-game have taken step-backs, but his rebounding has not. With Olynyk the only active Heat player over 6’11”, adding Cousins’ size will be integral for a playoff run where physicality increases and fouls are more valuable. As much as Achiuwa and even KZ Okpala have shown in limited time this year, the extra big body that Cousins could provide may be a difference maker come playoff time.
Keeping With The Current Play-style
One of the reasons the Heat find themselves struggling on the boards is that they don’t mind their big men playing on the perimeter. Whether it is Olynyk or Duncan Robinson playing big minutes, the Heat love having front-court shooters to help alleviate Jimmy Butler’s lack of outside game. This is a perfect scenario for Cousins, as his tenure with the Rockets this season turned him even more perimeter-oriented than he had displayed in previous seasons. To begin, an offense that allows Cousins to play outside would also allow him an easier time and shorter run back while playing transition defense.
Additionally, Cousins has shown proficiency in the pick-and-pop game that the Heat guards have shown mastery of. While Cousins’ 33.6% shooting from beyond the arc isn’t an eye-popping figure, it IS higher than Olynyk’s. Cousins is not a deadeye shooter, but he is capable of spreading the floor and keeping defenses honest, which is precisely the type of big body Miami could use.
Keeping Their Foot On The Gas
There is going to be a lot of player movement before the trade deadline and on the buyout market, and many contenders are likely to be active. Not a single team in the NBA is good enough this year to stand back and take a passive approach, and that includes the Heat. While they aren’t where they’d like to be at the midpoint of the season, the Heat are still well within a top-4 seed. Whether or not you believe Cousins is still the same player he once was is irrelevant. He is good enough to contribute quality minutes for a team in need, and the Heat are one of those teams in need. If they’d like to make a repeat appearance in the NBA Finals, DeMarcus Cousins might very well be the low-risk, high-reward piece that revitalizes both Cousins and the Heat moving forward.