Top Landing Spots for DeMarcus Cousins During NBA's Transaction Window

The player pool for the NBA's transaction window is inherently light on difference-makers. DeMarcus Cousins could be the exception.

While many other hoopers-for-hire eligible to sign between June 23 and June 30 are unemployed for basketball reasons, Boogie's case is different. The 29-year-old is simply having trouble staying healthy of late, and the Los Angeles Lakers only waived him because they needed to clear a roster spot for Markieff Morris.

Cousins is roughly 10 months removed from his latest malady—a torn ACL suffered in mid-August—and with more time ahead of the 2019-20 season's planned reopening at the end of July, he could have time to get into playing shape and contribute to a playoff run just yet.

Since his healthy version is (at least) head and shoulders above every other available player, he should have his choice of landing spots. But which offers the best fit?

 We're out to answer that question by examining everything from the scheme and roster fit to where he has the best chance to contribute in a meaningful way.

Honorable Mentions

Houston Rockets

If Houston fielded a conventional lineup, a trip to Space City could put Cousins on the launching pad for major minutes.

The Rockets only have two traditional bigs on the roster—Tyson Chandler and Isaiah Hartenstein—and neither is in the same zip code as a healthy Cousins. Even Boogie's healthy-ish version—like the one who averaged 16.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists in only 25.7 minutes per game last season—is superior.

But Houston seems fully committed to small-ball, and it probably isn't worth breaking the mold for this version of Boogie. Between Jan. 2018 and Aug. 2019, he has torn his Achilles, quad and ACL—all in the same leg. If he limits the Rockets' defensive versatility or congests the interior on offense (he's only a career 33.2 percent shooter from distance), he just isn't worth the risk.

Miami Heat

The Heat chased Cousins last summer, and they still haven't stumbled on the perfect frontcourt partner for Bam Adebayo.

 Cousins probably isn't it, but he could expand head coach Erik Spoelstra's options. Miami doesn't always get the most consistent scoring, so Cousins' floor spacing and post scoring could become safety valves in this attack if he's able to get anywhere close to 100 percent.

The issue is Miami doesn't have a roster spot, nor does it have an obvious path to create one. This would seem a strange time to break away from locker-room leader Udonis Haslem, and the Heat saw enough in Chris Silva to convert his two-way deal into a three-year NBA contract.

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs are suddenly thin on the interior with LaMarcus Aldridge undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. Considering he was both their top glass-cleaner and second-leading scorer—one of only two averaging more than 12 points—the magnitude of his absence is tremendous.

But this club isn't anywhere close to contending, and the addition of Cousins wouldn't change that.

While he doesn't have to choose only from the championship-or-bust crowd, it diminishes San Antonio's sales pitch now, and the fit grows even less appealing going forward. There's an obvious youth movement taking place behind the Spurs' notable names, and once the big-money players are off the books (likely in 2021), this organization could be overhauled around its up-and-comers.

Top Landing Spots

Boston Celtics

The Shamrocks never bothered filling the Al Horford-sized hole from last offseason and instead opted for the internal-replacement route. Cousins' name actually surfaced at the time of Horford's departure, though Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald dumped cold water on the speculation by saying the Celtics weren't interested due to "potential drama."

That rationale always seemed bizarre—the Celtics have created a lot more drama than Cousins in recent seasons—and while Boston has worked around its deficiencies at center so far, that shouldn't keep general manager Danny Ainge from placing a bid. As NBC Sports Boston's Justin Leger wrote, Cousins quietly has missing-piece potential for this roster:

"If Cousins can get healthy by the time playoffs roll around, he makes for an interesting low-risk, high-reward option for a Boston Celtics team that could use the size and bench depth.

"Prior to the Achilles injury that derailed his 2017-18 season, Cousins was averaging 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. If healthy, the 29-year-old is among the most dominant big men in the game. But that's a big 'if.'"

The perfect team in this discussion doesn't need Cousins to work out but could carve out a substantial role for him if he does.

The Celtics arguably offer that combination better than anyone. They are cruising at high altitude without him—fifth overall in net efficiency—but they could surely find him minutes in a center rotation led by Daniel Theis, Enes Kanter and Robert Williams III.

Dallas Mavericks

It's tough to tell how much activity will take place during the transaction window, but it's a safe bet the Mavericks will be at the center of it. They already knew they'd be without Dwight Powell (torn Achilles) and possibly Jalen Brunson (torn labrum). Now, they're also trudging forward without Courtney Lee, who suffered a calf injury that required surgery, per Marc Stein of the New York Times.

Even a puzzle master like head coach Rick Carlisle can only do so much to cover for those missing pieces.

The Mavs have been linked to Cousins in the past, and they briefly employed his younger brother, Jaleel. If they think they're close to contention—with a one-two punch like Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, they should—this might be the perfect time to bring Boogie on board and have him help fill out their thinning frontcourt.

Despite the fact Dallas has literally the most efficient offense in NBA history, it isn't overflowing with shot-creators.

Tim Hardaway Jr. has emerged as a serviceable third scorer, but his newfound efficiency (career-high 58.1 true shooting percentage) is connected to the fact he's rarely been asked to do less (21.7 usage percentage, lowest in four seasons). Seth Curry, the team's only other double-digit scorer, works best off the catch.

Cousins can still create offense. Get him to 75 percent and he's probably the best weapon on this bench unit. He might be their best non-Porzingis option at the 5, too, as he'd really only be competing against Willie Cauley-Stein, Boban Marjanovic and Maxi Kleber.

Los Angeles Lakers

Let a former executive tell it and this article doesn't need another landing spot beyond L.A.

"[The Lakers are] the only team," the executive told B/R's Eric Pincus. "He respects [LeBron James], and he's [Anthony Davis'] boy. [Other teams] don't want that distraction. There's a small window of time to play, and you can't let up."

Cousins' connection to the Lakers is complicated.

They don't really need him since they already have James, Davis, JaVale McGee, Dwight Howard, Kyle Kuzma and Markieff Morris chewing up the frontcourt minutes. That said, Howard hasn't made up his mind about participating in the restart, his agent, Charles Briscoe, told ESPN's Dave McMenamin. McGee has asthma, which could put him at greater risk if he had a COVID-19 infection.

If L.A. loses either one, it would suddenly go from having no questions at center to having a rather important one. And with James on the wrong side of 35, this might be the team's best chance to add to his ring collection.

Cousins could help with that, provided there's a spot for him to play. He may never have suited up for the Lakers, but he was still around often enough to create chemistry with his teammates.

"He's got a good pulse on what our group is going through," head coach Frank Vogel told reporters in February. "There was a game where he challenged LeBron to be more aggressive. ... He's contributed to our culture."

This all comes down to opportunity. If the Lakers have a role Cousins can fill, this could be as good as it gets.

Washington Wizards

How much does immediate contention mean to Cousins? If it's not the primary factor in his decision, then the Wizards could have a chance, which would be music to former Kentucky teammate John Wall's ears.

"You know I'm trying to push for that," Wall told The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears (h/t NBC Sports Washington's Chase Hughes). "I've been on that for like five years. I want to sign him right now." 

Washington needs Cousins to play the long game for this to work.

No level of offensive wizardry from him is getting this club anywhere near the championship chase. They were out of it even before Davis Bertans opted to sit out the restart, as ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim Bontemps reported.

But maybe that's OK. Maybe a contract with the Wizards now would let Cousins test-drive the team before a larger offseason commitment.

He already has the support of a franchise face, plus he'd have another All-Star at his side in Bradley Beal. Cousins could have a path to significant minutes (and maybe a starting spot) in the near future with Thomas Bryant and Moritz Wagner representing the biggest competition at the 5.

Washington wouldn't have the widest margin for error moving forward, but there's a universe in which Cousins, Wall and Beal prove potent enough to get the Wizards into second-tier status in the Eastern Conference.


All stats courtesy of NBA.com and Basketball Reference unless otherwise noted. Zach Buckley covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @ZachBuckleyNBA.