4 reasons why DeMarcus Cousins will thrive with the Rockets

3. Cousins can pass and facilitate plays

Another facet of Cousins’ game that is unique for a center in this era of Houston Rockets basketball is his ability to pass and continue the flow of a play. This is becoming a more and more valuable skill for big men to have in the modern age of NBA basketball.

The Rockets have lacked a playmaking big man for the past several years now, and it is something they really could have benefitted from in former seasons. With a system of offense involving more ball movement, it is even more important to have now.

His scoring and shooting abilities are already enough for defenders to take him seriously from most areas of the floor, but Boogie’s ability to facilitate plays only makes him a deadlier threat at any given spot on the court. It helps create a higher number and a higher quality of scoring opportunities for his teammates sharing the floor with him.

It also gives Silas more options in regard to offensive scheming. Having another guy alongside Wall and Harden to facilitate plays means he can create more complex methods of attack that involve more ball movement than would be possible otherwise.

Silas also has more space to work with when Boogie is on the floor since his aforementioned shooting ability allows him to operate from the outside as well as the post. This lets Silas have substantive passers at multiple locations on the floor, opening up many possibilities.

While you may not see Cousins rack up high numbers of assists, that is not the only metric by which a player’s contribution through passing can be measured. Simply continuing the flow of a play through high-level timing and accuracy can be the difference between a good scoring opportunity and a bad one.

Versatility has been one of the most significant themes going into the 2020-21 season, and Boogie’s passing ability is just another way in which he furthers that theme.

Next: No. 2