Getty Dwight Howard #39 of the Philadelphia 76ers and DeMarcus Cousins #15 of the Houston Rockets speak.
As the Brooklyn Nets prepare to kick off the second half of the NBA season, there will be an adjustment period for everyone involved. The Nets may have a completely revamped roster devoid of any All-Stars, but they still have a 34-24 record and sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
As the Nets gear up to make a playoff run, they still have an open roster spot they could use to add depth to their team. In a new article from NetsWire, Brooklyn is urged to pursue four-time All-Star free agent center Demarcus Cousins via the buyout market.
“Cousins, 32, has bounced around the NBA ever since he suffered injuries to his Achilles and ACL. He hasn’t been able to regain the elite form that he had when he was with the Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans, but it is possible for him to be a contributor on a playoff team,” the article reads.
“He brings size, shooting, and has some veteran experience that he can share with the younger Nets.”
The Nets would be adding Cousins on a bargain deal as they would be able to sign him to the veterans minimum.
The latest Nets news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Nets newsletter here!
Jacque Vaughn Sounds off on Nets Empty Roster Spot
The Nets’ open roster spot could be used for a variety of things. Despite Miles Bridges’ 45-point outburst before the All-Star break, they still lack a pure scorer on their roster. They also lack a true point guard, although Ben Simmons who is a small forward, and Spencer Dinwiddie, who plays shooting guard, are viable ball handlers. And as impressive as Nic Claxton has been this season, the Nets still could use a backup center.
But despite the multiple holes left in the Nets’ roster following the trade deadline, head coach Jacque Vaughn says that filling the final roster spot is not high on the Nets’ priority list.
“It’s not top on our priority list. You know, my conversation with Sean [Marks] is we will continue to keep our eyes open to see if something makes sense. But what we don’t want is someone that’s gonna detract from the culture in the locker room. That’s the biggest piece of that thing,” Vaughn told reporters in a virtual meeting on February 22 via Sports Illustrated.
“And then also trying to figure out what this group has to offer and see exactly what’s needed if we do go down that route. But we’ll keep our eyes open but that isn’t the number one priority right now.”
Jacque Vaughn Makes Bold Prediction on Nets’ Defense
After trading Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant at the deadline, the Nets officially have transitioned out of the superstar era. This also means their approach to the game has to change as well. With Durant and Irving, two generational talents, Brooklyn could depend on one of their stars to deliver a big shot, relying heavily on isolation basketball.
But with this Nets roster devoid of an All-Star for the first time since 2018, they will have to win by committee. Coach Vaughn says that will begin with their defense, and he believes the group he has now can be among the top in the league.
“I think we can be a Top 10 defensive team if we take that step of turning teams over; so a great challenge for us that way. And that’s going to come from some non-traditional ways. You know me, I’m very curious and I don’t mind taking risks,” Vaughn added.
“And so, is that going to be going into different games with different game plans in order to get us to have an identity of really stirring things up and being agitators on the defensive end of the floor? The offensive piece is can we play with an extreme amount of pace and transition. And so that’s increasing our transition attempts and 3s, that’s our kick-ahead, that’s our potential assists. So, a lot of bullet points underneath that, just because we don’t have the shot creators like we used to.”