Published 23:53 IST, June 9th 2020
DeMarcus Cousins to Miami Heat? NBA side reportedly keen on bagging him for playoffs run
Four-time NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins is being touted for a potential move to Miami Heat as they prepare for a potential playoff run this season.
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A majority of the 22 NBA teams that were short-listed have been training for the last couple of weeks now. The likes of Portland Trailblazers, San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat were the teams included in the list. Jimmy Butler-led Miami Heat are fourth in the Eastern Conference standings behind Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics. They are in contention to make the playoffs this season but will require some back-up in order to do well in the post-season.
Former Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings star DeMarcus Cousins has been touted as a potential recruit for Miami Heat ahead of their potential playoffs run when the season resumes next month in Orlando.
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Miami Heat insider Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel talked up a potential move for DeMarcus Cousins in the run-up to the playoffs for the 2019-20 NBA season. She was quoted as saying that when the Heat made their Feb. 6 trade for Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill, Pat Riley said that in trading Justise Winslow, James Johnson and Dion Waiters it left the team with enough room under the hard cap to potentially add player from the buyout market in time for this season’s playoffs. Then, amid the period when the Heat were able to gauge who might be available, the league shut down. So there is room under the hard cap for such a move. But there is not a roster spot. So unless the Heat cut a player, which could either be amongst Solomon, Udonis Haslem and Chris Silva, another cannot be added.
It doesn't seem likely that the Heat would release Haslem in the middle of a crunch season which means that Hill and Silva are the potential candidates to lose their spot ahead of the league restart in order to make space for DeMarcus Cousins. DeMarcus Cousins hasn't played all season as he recovers from an ACL tear. Last year, while playing for the Warriors, DeMarcus Cousins averaged 16.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks per game.
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23:53 IST, June 9th 2020