Miami Heat Rumors: Should they look into signing DeMarcus Cousins?
Potential Role
When looking at a potential role for DeMarcus Cousins on the Miami Heat, look no further than current Miami Heat big man Meyers Leonard. Cousins is not only just as skilled and talented in all facets of the game as Leonard, but in fact, he is more skilled and talented when he’s right.
Cousins could not only fill that exact role as a screener, pop guy, role guy in instances, and simply a body in the paint, but he could probably do it a little better and more expansively if healthy. Not only could he hit the spot-up three, although maybe not as with as much accuracy or efficiency as Leonard, but he would more than makeup for that with his paint presence, scoring ability in the paint, physicality, nastiness, and rebounding ability.
The big man has a career average of 10.9 boards per contest, while he has only not averaged double-digit rebounds three times across his 10-year career with one of those years being a 9.9 rebound per game year, so it’s actually closer to two years where he didn’t average at least 10 boards per contest.
As far as the rest of the role, he has said as much as far as what he would be expecting or expecting to offer. Here is a quote from a piece from ESPN‘s Dave McMenamin that we will reference a few more times here, with this quote from the piece deriving specifically from an appearance on Matt Barnes‘ and Stephen Jackson‘s podcast, All The Smoke.
"We got a big team. It’s going to be some bump, for sure,” Cousins said. “We got so many guys with different abilities. I mean, I can spot up. Bron [LeBron James] is going to draw everybody whenever he decides to move. I’m pretty confident I can knock down the shot. We got shooters all over the floor. I mean, I can playmake. Like, it’s pick your poison."
While this blurb most certainly referred to his possible fit with the Los Angeles Lakers, the same adaptation can be made for the Miami Heat. That is why I think a potential role for Cousins wouldn’t be an issue.
Potential Roster Spot
This one is fairly simple. For starters and all you need to know, Pat Riley is the guy making things happen for the Miami Heat, so if it needs to happen it will.
With the way that Riley and the Miami Heat have manipulated their roster all season with the sending back and forth of two-way players and specifically in example, how they managed Chris Silva to save and maximize his free days as apart of his two-way contract, this would be a cakewalk for Riles. If they are interested in Boogie, the Miami Heat can most certainly make it happen without having to cut, waive, or let anybody go.