For the time being DeMarcus Cousins is a member of the Sacramento Kings. How long that lasts remains to be seen. Since the hiring of George Karl, Cousins has been facing trade rumors which have only amplified since the offseason began. The Kings did not help by drafting Willie Cauley-Stein and now team president Vlade Divac is making it clear that there is plenty of tension right now within the team.
In an appearance on 'The Jim Rome Show' Divac noted that the relationship between Karl and Cousins is extremely strained at the moment. During the NBA Draft, ESPN's Chris Broussard reported that Karl was trying to get the franchise to trade Cousins for a higher draft pick, a deal that plenty of teams could have made, but Divac blocked the idea. However, that has done very little to make Cousins a happy man.
"Well, I'll be honest with you, it's not pretty right now, but I'm focused on bringing a better team this year and I think I did a pretty good job in this free agency and now I'm going to be focused on the two of them. I believe in DeMarcus. DeMarcus is definitely a guy we want to build our team around," Divac said, via CBS Radio.
To make matters more confusing, the newly drafted big man Cauley-Stein is excelling in NBA Summer League as he continues to prove he can be a defensive star in the league. According to Kurt Helin of ProBasketballTalk.com, Cauley-Stein is showing he is filled with potential as he continues to be disruptive in the paint while displaying great athleticism. The question is how will he and Cousins work together on the court?
Could the Kings still make a trade for Cousins? At the moment there are no offers for Cousins as many teams are under the impression that the center is staying put. However, one offer that Karl liked is still available as the Denver Nuggets continue to shop both Kenneth Faried and Ty Lawson. The Kings signed Rajon Rondo, but only to a one-year deal. With the addition of Josh Smith not looking likely, could the team ad Lawson and Faried for short-term and long-term help?
Chances are very high that Divac exercises his power and ends any trade talk around Cousins. He believes the center is the future of the franchise regardless of what the head coach has to say. The Nuggets could try aggressively pushing the trade package, but Divac does not seem close to biting.
