Report: Knicks Could Turn To DeMarcus Cousins If They Miss Out On Primary Targets

DeMarcus Cousins
Photo credit Cary Edmondson/USA TODAY Images

If the Knicks miss out on signing Kevin Durant, their Plan B could include one of his Warriors teammates.

The New York Times' Marc Stein reported Wednesday night that the Knicks are considering making a "considerable one-year offer" to center DeMarcus Cousins.

The Knicks have long been planning to pursue the likes of Durant, Kyrie Irving and Kawhi Leonard in free agency but are widely expected to turn to short-term offers if they miss out on their primary targets

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 27, 2019

The Knicks have the salary-cap space available to sign two max-level free agents. But they reportedly don't plan to offer max deals to anyone other than Durant, Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving. Instead, they are expected to offer short-term contracts to lower-tier free agents if they miss out on their primary targets. The idea is that the Knicks want to remain flexible enough financially to chase after top free agents in future years. 

Cousins, 28, returned from a ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered with the New Orleans Pelicans in January 2018 to play 30 regular-season games for Golden State in 2018-19, averaging 16.3 points and 8.2 rebounds in 25.7 minutes per contest. 

He tore his left quadriceps in Game 2 of the Warriors' first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers and did not return until the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. Cousins wasn't himself in the Finals, averaging just 7.4 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

Two years ago, the 6-foot-11 Cousins averaged 25.2 points and 12.9 rebounds for New Orleans.

Meanwhile, the Knicks are also "keeping an eye on" Celtics restricted free agent Terry Rozier in case Boston rescinds the guard's rights, SNY's Ian Begley reported Thursday.