After acquiring Victor Oladipo from the Houston Rockets and Nemanja Bjelica from the Sacramento Kings on March 25, the Miami Heat is not done shaking up their roster, and their eyes are on DeMarcus “Boogie” Cousins.
While the trade deadline has passed, the buyout market remains hot. The Heat were frontrunners in obtaining LaMarcus Aldridge from the San Antonio Spurs, but the seven-time All-Star surprised everyone when he ultimately decided to join the Brooklyn Nets.
Following the loss of Aldridge, Miami fans focused their attention on the franchise acquiring Gorgui Dieng after his contract was bought out by the Memphis Grizzlies. But on Sunday, it was announced that the 28-year-old center will be joining the Spurs.
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To help reverse Miami’s current six-game losing streak and help the franchise become a real contender in the postseason, the Heat has emerged as the top landing spot for Cousins. The former fifth-overall pick out of Kentucky, who stands at 6-foot-10, could be the perfect big man to complement Heat star Bam Adebayo.
Thus far in the 2020-2021 NBA season, Boogie is averaging 9.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. While there were rumors that Cousins might want to take his talents back to the Los Angeles Lakers, from a financial standpoint, such a move seemed wildly unlikely to happen. And after the Lakers acquired Andre Drummond on Sunday, Los Angeles is now firmly out of the picture when it comes to Boogie.
Reports Linking Cousins to the Heat Started Back in February
GettyDeMarcus Cousins #15 of the Houston Rockets reaches for a rebound during the second quarter against the Miami Heat at the Toyota Center on February 11, 2021 in Houston, Texas.
While it’s not false to say Miami is scraping at the barrel of what’s left in the buyout market, as they have both the roster spots and cap space to sign a veteran, the Heat and Boogie have been linked together in media reports since February.
South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman could absolutely see Miami bidding on Cousins after his buyout. He said:
Not going to deny the possibility immediately becoming intriguing. For years, the Heat have been linked to DeMarcus, and, like Bam Adebayo, he does have the ability to orchestrate the offense from the elbow. But he certainly is not a stretch big man, by any means, nor was/is much in the way of a defender. And there have been, and likely will continue to be, questions about the mobility.
“If this type of opportunity comes at minimal cost, you at least have to make a bid,” Winderman added. “Of course, the counter is that the Heat currently have a losing record and chasing playoff minutes could prove more attractive elsewhere, for example with the Nets or Lakers.”
With both the Lakers and Nets now off the table, the Heat will have way less competition when it comes to acquiring Cousins.
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