The Sacramento Kings, simply put, are a mess right now. Their new coach George Karl is clashing with yet another franchise player, the team is 3-7, and the Kings seem to be facing a bleak ultimatum: trade the future of their franchise, DeMarcus Cousins, or fire their third coach in a year.
According to various reports, DeMarcus Cousins supposedly had a confrontation with George Karl after the Kings lost 106-88 to the Spurs. In the locker room DeMarcus Cousins went on an explicit rant against coach Karl, and Karl wasn’t happy. He requested a two game suspension from general manager Vlade Divac, but his request was refused. Cousins has since apologized to his coach publicly
The rift has been growing between Karl and Cousins ever since Karl’s hiring, and this could be the ultimate conclusion. Rumors are supporting a Karl firing coming soon, but trading Cousins is very possible. Potential trade partners have included the Lakers, the Magic, and most notably the Boston Celtics.
A potential deal would include David Lee, the Nets pick, which looks like a top three pick right now, and a young prospect, possibly rookie guard Terry Rozier. The Kings would send back DeMarcus Cousins, and potentially a filler player, like Eric Moreland.
As a Celtics fan, something just doesn’t feel right about this trade to me. Trading the Nets pick, which could potentially be a franchise player in the draft, doesn’t seem like a good move. I’m not saying trading David Lee for the best center in the league is a bad deal, but his latest actions seem like a red flag.
Nov 13, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens (R) greets forward David Lee (42) during the first half of a game against the Atlanta Hawks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Perhaps Tyrone Corbin and George Karl just didn’t understand Cousins, or couldn’t handle him. Perhaps the media is portraying a distorted version of the events in Sacramento. These both could be very possible, and Cousins could have great success playing in Boston.
But I don’t think that’s the case.
What it seems like is that Cousins has been a coach killer, a player who has been forcing the Sacramento Kings front office, coaches, and players to play by his rules since he came into the league. The Kings definitely have a ways to go in all of these categories, which may make up for it, or may be a result of this.
The Celtics on the other hand, have a Coach of the Year candidate in Brad Stevens, a tight knit group of players, and one of the strongest front offices in the NBA, with Danny Ainge at the helm. The worst case scenario is that Cousins would exact his will on the Celtics like he has on the Kings, which would either cost some talented people their jobs on the Celtics, or cause DMC to struggle in Boston, whether on the court or off the court.
There is an obvious difference between Danny Ainge and Vlade Divac, between Ty Corbin and Brad Stevens, and between the Celtics and the Kings. I don’t think Danny Ainge would be someone who bends to the will of a player, but he would be quick to trade away DeMarcus Cousins, and would likely not receive the equivalent of what would need to be given up to acquire him in the first place.
All this work the Celtics have done to find the right chemistry, the right mix of players, it just doesn’t seem safe to bring in another ego into this situation. DeMarcus Cousins and former teammate Isaiah Thomas might have been old friends on the Kings, or an IT-DMC reunion might not be for the best. They be could best buddies again, or there could be a clash for control.
Mar 15, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) looks down after he fouled Chicago Bulls forward Mike Dunleavy (not pictured) as Kings guard Isaiah Thomas (22) reacts in the second half of their game against the Bulls at the United Center. The Bulls won 94-87. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
Like I said earlier, this could very well not be the case with DeMarcus Cousins, and he might be the same or even a better player if he were traded to Boston, with even a better attitude. But with all the possibilities, which aren’t that far out, it doesn’t seem like a good idea to gamble one of the Celtics’ most valuable assets, the Nets draft pick, on this situation. Staying the course and just playing it safe seems like a better idea, instead of dumping assets to trade for an established talent.
DeMarcus Cousins is far from a bad guy. He does wonderful things off the court, even recently paying for the funeral of a murdered high school student. After signing his contract extension, he donated $1 million back to the city of Sacramento, in order to help poor families. His basketball attitude and his personality are just two different things. He cares about the community, but I just don’t know if he always brings that same attitude to basketball situations. Perhaps I’m wrong, but I’m just afraid this potential trade might blow up in the Celtics’ face.
The biggest question is one that could decide the future of the Celtics for years: Which DeMarcus Cousins would the Celtics get? Do they acquire the player who once led the league in technicals, or the one who averaged a double double last season? Does an All-Star or a coach killer come to Boston?
And once again, maybe I’m wrong. This is all just some of my thoughts on a few rumors. Is he definitely getting traded? Absolutely not. The situation is definitely improving in Sacramento, but how long that lasts is a mystery. What is also a mystery is how well of an understanding we have of the Kings locker room. This could very well be an isolated or exaggerated incident that tells a different story than how things really are.
This incident looks like the textbook opportunity to turn around the team, but it also might be an impulse decision that haunts the franchise. The whole goal of collecting assets is to perform a trade for a disgruntled or unhappy star, and Cousins is a young and extremely talented star. But this just doesn’t seem like the time to stake the future of the franchise on a possibility. He could be the final piece to spurring a deep Boston playoff run, but he could be a player who holds them back.
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Who knows? Who knows who DeMarcus Cousins would be in Boston? Who knows if the media is right? Who knows if this is even a feasible deal, let alone one that would happen? DeMarcus Cousins is a mysterious player one that has the power to lift a franchise to greatness, or like with the Kings, keep them stagnant in mediocrity.