DeMarcus Cousins (Photo : Ezra Shaw | Getty Images Sport)
The saga in Sacramento lingers over the NBA and even before DeMarcus Cousins reported outburst after the Spurs game, it was already anticipated.
The talks on trading DeMarcus Cousins reached fever pitch even though head coach George Karl was the most likely fall guy.
Bill Simmons, who's now with HBO is a Boston Celtics die-hard. He is probably the world's most popular sportswriter and editor-in-chief of the defunct Grantland site, recently aired a hypothetical question on his podcast.
"What if the Sacramento Kings offered DeMarcus Cousins straight up for the 2016 Brooklyn Nets unprotected Draft Pick and David Lee?"
David Lee will be included only for salary purposes and since he's also an expiring contract and he will not be a matter of consequence. However, the Brooklyn Nets draft pick seems to be a lock in the lottery..and if they finish with the worst record (which they have right now) it will be a at least Top 4 pick.
This debate was engaged by Boston.com and they say that "there's no easy answer to this question." However, in the podcast, Simmons' partner, Joe House easily said that if it were up to him, the deal would be "capital D-U-N" (done).
The argument is that DeMarcus Cousins is a certified top 10 talent in the league. To acquire him for just essentially a draft pick-even the possible first overall pick, is almost a no-brainer.
The draft pick, as the site reminds, is still filled with uncertainty. The Nets are not sure to have the worst record or let alone the no.1 pick. The Celtics tanked before the 1997 Draft hoping to get the top pick with Tim Duncan in mind, but they ended up with Chauncey Billups.
Also, even if they could get the 1st overall pick, there's also no assurance that it won't be a bust. How about Greg Oden (2007) and Michael Olowokandi (1998) and even Andrea Bargnani (2006) and Anthony Bennett (2013)? With DeMarcus Cousins you know what you're getting.
That's exactly why the site is hesitant. With DeMarcus Cousins, you have an extremely talented center, perhaps the best in the league. But you also have these descriptions the site mentioned: "a coach's nightmare; a total head-case with effort and maturity issues who George Karl is reportedly desperate to get out of 1-and-7 Sacramento, a franchise in disrepair."
Two years ago. Kevin Love, just like DMC, was a top 10 talent. Even their numbers are similar, (24 and 12 averages) and Kevin Love was also a disgruntled talent who put monster numbers but could not bring the Minnesota Timberwolves to the playoffs (but he's not known as a headcase, though).
The T-Wolves traded Kevin Love to Cleveland for what is essentially, the no.1 pick in 2014, Andrew Wiggins. Who won that trade? The answer would probably lead provide a clue to this dilemma.
