DeMarcus Cousins (Photo : Getty Images)
For two years now, DeMarcus Cousins has been on the NBA trade rumor mill and the Boston Celtics has been his supposed top suitor.
Why not? The Celtics boast of having the top assets in the league and they need a center. Cousins happens to be (arguably) the most talented big man on a dysfunctional team.
It seemed like a perfect fit and it was more a question of "when" and not "if" Boogie is Boston-bound.
The latest buzz is that a trade is "gaining traction" according to an NESN report. They quote Adam Kaufman of CBS Sports Radio as the source.
Basically, there are some other teams around #NBA that believe there's traction on Boogie deal...but not a #Celtics or #Kings source. FWIW. https://t.co/c2LCmI1y8U
— Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) December 11, 2016
NESN does recommend the proverbial "grain of salt" on the tweets and notes that the sources did not include direct representatives of both teams involved. That seems believable when Kings and Celtics executives would have been sworn to secrecy about that trade.
It seems like there's nothing to see here unless you consider that the rumors have been gaining steam because it is logical for the Kings to make the trade this season before Cousins becomes an expiring contract. He will get the most trade value that way.
Also, the Celtics offers the best assets for rebuilding-which the Kings will probably be if they do trade Boogie. These are the Brooklyn Nets' picks. The expectation is that both picks are most likely lottery bound which gives the Kings (if they trade for it) two star rookies in consecutive seasons.
But the optimism may be shot down by Chris Mannix in a CSNNE video who called the trade "unrealistic."
"I think at this point it's very much unrealistic that Sacramento would deal DeMarcus Cousins to Boston or anywhere," Mannix said. "The Kings just opened a brand new arena. Their owner believes that they can make the playoffs this year. And the only way they can do that is with DeMarcus Cousins on the roster. So certainly it bears watching as we get to January and close to the February trade deadline. But right now DeMarcus Cousins is a King, is going to be a King. And it should be pointed out he has never asked for a trade. In fact, his teammates and former teammates tell me he likes Sacramento, he wants to be there. One former teammate told me it's a mess, but it's his mess out there."
