The Portland Trail Blazers could be eyeing a blockbuster deal that involves Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins.
The Blazers are expected to become players in the trade market, according to ESPN's Marc Stein. With the team in possession of potential assets to orchestrate a trade, Stein believes the Blazers could explore deals before the deadline.
"The suspicion among numerous league observers is that the Blazers' non-stop spending this past offseason was asset collection as much as anything. Scan through all those names again and it's clear Portland has no shortage of options to thrust itself into all kinds of trade talks as GM Neil Olshey continues to shape the roster around backcourt bedrocks Lillard and C.J. McCollum," Stein wrote.
Portland could look at several players who can help them become legit title contenders this season. Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report insisted that if a big man becomes available, the Blazers could flip the likes of Allen Crabbe, Evan Turner, Moe Harkless and Meyers Leonard into a pick-and-roll partner for Damian Lillard.
Stein claimed in the same report that days before the trade deadline would be filled with speculations surrounding Cousins' future. It is unclear whether Portland would see Cousins as a trade target this season, but one has to think that only Boogie has the talent to boost teams into legit title contenders, especially an already promising team like the Blazers.
"Sacramento is determined to make the playoffs this season, or at least a credible playoff run, which somewhat compels the Kings to keep their best player," Stein noted.
"But the reality is that Cousins has only one season left on his current contract after this one. If the Kings keep him beyond Feb. 23, they better be sure they can re-sign him, because they're sure to fetch less in return for Expiring Contract Boogie."
Whether the Kings would ultimately decide on trading Cousins this year remains to be seen, but considering the All-Star center's rocky relationship with the franchise, it is not far-fetched to see his name on the trading block, especially if Sacramento fails to make a playoff run this season.
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