The New Orleans Pelicans has been predicted as a potential destination for DeMarcus Cousins, who, according to multiple reports, could be traded before the deadline.
The Kings' conundrum over Cousins' unpredictable behavior could finally end before the Feb. 23 trade deadline. An NBA general manager revealed to Sean Deveney of Sporting News that the Kings could consider moving Boogie before the year ends.
"I'd say they have three months, tops," one NBA GM told Deveney. "Probably more like a month, or month-and-a-half, because the closer they get to the deadline, the less they're going to get back. If you're trying to trade him the week of the deadline, it's going to be tougher."
NBA Hall of Famer and Kings minority owner Shaquille O'Neal has also hinted about a potential Cousins trade, insisting that if "things don't start to become correct, then they [Kings] maybe looking to go in a different direction."
While recent reports have suggested Cousins could likely be out of Sacramento in the foreseeable future, it is still unclear whether the Kings would ultimately trade their All-Star center before the deadline. Nevertheless, there are plenty of potential destinations for a talented young center like Cousins, who has career averages of 20.3 points and 10.7 rebounds a game.
According to Adam Fromal of Bleacher Report, one possible trade scenario the Kings may consider is sending Cousins to the New Orleans Pelicans for E'Twaun Moore, Buddy Hield, Alexis Ajinca and two first-round picks.
"Sacramento is filled with a plethora of youthful pieces that don't necessarily complement each other, and the big man has little reason to believe in a collective brain trust that has struggled to assemble a competitive roster ever since he was drafted," Fromal wrote.
"The time has come for a trade, especially if another talent-starved organization such as the New Orleans Pelicans is willing to pay a king's ransom of budding prospects and impressive, unprotected draft picks for his services."
Cousins pairing up with Anthony Davis would create the most explosive frontcourt in the league. Cousins and Davis have already proven they could co-exist during their stint with Team USA and there is not a reason to believe it won't work in New Orleans.
The move would also benefit both big men, whose immense talents have been wasted in the past few seasons, with the Kings and Pels failing to surround Cousins and Davis with decent supporting cast. And while it is odd to see two towering centers starting for the Pelicans, their versatility on both ends of the floor suggests a successful frontcourt tandem.
Any potential deal depends if the Pelicans would develop a genuine interest in acquiring Cousins, which would certainly be costly for the New Orleans. But with the franchise looking to fail yet again, it is a move worth considering for the Pels.
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