The Sacramento Kings could finally pull the trigger in trading away DeMarcus Cousins.
Speculations about Cousins' future with the Kings continue to swirl around the league as teams slowly approach the trade deadline. While the Kings have yet to officially make Cousins available, ESPN's Tim MacMahon claimed that many league sources believe it would be smart for Sacramento to trade Boogie before the deadline in hopes of maximizing the big man's trade value.
"Consensus among several league sources I asked about the DeMarcus Cousins/Sacramento situation: The Kings would trade him before the deadline if they were smart. The logic is that Cousins is extremely unlikely to return to Sacramento once he becomes a free agent, and the Kings can maximize his trade value when he still has another full season remaining on his contract," MacMahon wrote.
Cousins has one year left in his current deal with the Kings, which could force the Kings to ultimately decide in his future with the team. However, according to Sam Amico of Amico Hoops, one NBA executive is confident the Kings won't get what they want in return by dealing Cousins.
"They'll never get what they want in return," an East GM told Amico. "They think Cousins is worth more than he actually is. He hurts you every bit as much as he helps you. He's like a cheeseburger, or booze. Too much and you'll pay a price."
There is no denying Cousins talent and what he could bring to the table. The 26-year-old center is a game-changer on both ends of the floor and his presence would boost any contending teams' chances to win a championship.
However, Cousins' odd behavior has caused teams to be cautious in exploring a deal for him. But one rival executive admitted he would willingly take Cousins, although having a "dominant personality" is required to keep the All-Star center in check.
Teams like the Cavs, Spurs and Warriors have been rumored as possible destinations for Cousins, but any potential deal would be costly for the mentioned teams. On the other hand, teams like the Celtics and Blazers may have the tradable assets the Kings want in return for the disgruntled center.
It remains to be seen what teams would take risk in trading for Cousins, but there are only a handful of teams who could facilitate a blockbuster deal with the Kings, and only a few have dominant personalities that could keep Cousins under control.
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