DeMarcus Cousins Rumors: Heat Have Interest If Star Doesn't Re-Sign with Lakers

The Miami Heat reportedly have interest in signing DeMarcus Cousins if he does not return to the Los Angeles Lakers this summer.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported Miami's interest, which stretches back to last summer, but noted "there's no indication he's looking to leave Southern California."

The Lakers waived Cousins last week to make room on their roster for Markieff Morris. Cousins will continue to use Lakers facilities to rehab his torn ACL, which has kept him out of the lineup for the entire 2019-20 season.

While it was possible that Cousins could be cleared to return for the postseason, it's better for his long-term health for him to focus on getting back to 100 percent before the 2020-21 campaign. Cousins has gone from seemingly bound for the Hall of Fame to clinging to his NBA career because of injuries. He's suffered a torn Achilles, torn quad and torn ACL, all since January 2018.

In a recent appearance on the All the Smoke podcast, Cousins blamed himself for causing the torn ACL. 

"I fly home that day, I went to the gym," Cousins said (h/t ESPN). "I had just landed. Damn near [cross country]. And I'm like, I don't want to miss no days in the gym. I'm getting into that mode, you know what I'm saying? I don't want to miss no days. So I go to the gym, I get there a little late ... I didn't have no business being out there. I just wanted to get my burn, like something, to make sure that I had a productive day. I had no business out there. Last play. Last basket of the game."

Cousins has ingratiated himself with the Lakers locker room, building a bond with LeBron James and continuing a friendship with Anthony Davis. It would be a surprise for him to sign elsewhere over the summer, especially given the understanding the two sides had regarding his release. Cousins won't garner much beyond a minimum contract this offseason, so it may be best for him to stay in LA, compete for a championship and hit the open market again in 2021.