DeMarcus Cousins and Jahlil Okafor (Photo : TNS via Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers could be the perfect trading partner for the Sacramento Kings if DeMarcus Cousins becomes officially available.
The 76ers could be another team to watch as potential landing spots for Cousins come the Kings shop their All-Star center, which could be a possibility, according to CSNNE's Kevin O'Connor.
"Cousins has long attracted the Celtics, and perhaps the Kings would be more willing to move him, especially considering their immense depth and youth at the big man position," O'Connor wrote.
While O'Connor noted a possible Cousins trade in the context of the Boston Celtics pursuing him, it also opens up a chance for other teams like the 76ers, who are also rumored to move one of their young big men in Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel. According to Josh Wilson of Sports Illustrated's Fansided, Noel and Okafor could be moved for Cousins or Kosta Koufos, who is reportedly being shopped by the Kings, reports ESPN's Marc Stein.
"With that in mind, it's a possibility that the Kings will be looking for a big man, with DeMarcus Cousins potentially on the way out and the team looking to trade Kosta. Nerlens Noel or Jahlil Okafor could be moved for one of these guys, potentially," Wilson wrote.
There is no doubt what Cousins could bring if he plays for the 76ers. With a talented playmaker in Ben Simmons, along with a youthful lineup, Cousins could get the fresh start he needs, while helping turn the 76ers into instant contenders in the league.
Between Noel and Okafor, it is likely the latter gets traded as claimed by Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer last month. Assuming a trade happens, Okafor would instantly replace Cousins as the Kings' top scoring big man and would be an essential piece in the team's rebuild.
However, considering Okafor does get the interest of the Kings and the 76ers trying to deal for Cousins, a straight swap won't work and both teams would likely add another rival in the mix to form a blockbuster deal. One scenario that worked in ESPN's trade machine is adding the Pacers in the mix.
In the trade scenario, the Kings send Cousins to the 76ers and ship Rudy Gay to the Pacers. The 76ers then move Okafor the Kings, along with Nik Stauskas, and send Carl Landry to the Pacers, who move Monta Ellis to Sacramento and Rodney Stuckey to the 76ers.
By doing this trade the 76ers get the star they need in Cousins as well as a reliable point guard who can complement Simmons' playmaking skills.
There were rumors around the league about the Kings interested in acquiring Ellis for Gay, who has been reportedly seeking a trade, according to Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee. Being involved in the proposed trade would give the Kings and the Pacers leverage to finally complete a deal that would acquire them the players they need in their respective campaigns.
It would be intriguing to see if the Kings would want to trade Cousins for another big man, considering they already have a loaded frontcourt after drafting Georgios Papagiannis and Skal Labissiere. Likewise, Okafor could become a keeper for the 76ers after showing signs of potential to co-exist with Simmons and other bigs in the team's lineup. Nevertheless, such deal could be beneficial for both teams as it may help the Kings finally move on from Cousins and the 76ers acquire the star they desperately need to become contenders again.
