The Sacramento Kings have legitimate reasons to be part of NBA trade rumors, but they keep getting featured because of DeMarcus Cousins.
Trading DeMarcus Cousins seems so sensible yet foolish at the same time. The hoops proverb that you don't trade anyone with franchise level talent holds true, but can your best player single-handedly take you to the playoffs? That's a resounding "no." Can your team front office give your superstar his needed support pieces?
That should be the first order of business for the Kings but they just couldn't pull it off. ESPN Insider discussed what the Kings should do at the deadline.
The 200 million dollar question: Should the Kings trade DeMarcus Cousins?
Bradford Doolittle thinks the Kings should go all-in on their playoff pursuit. "If the Kings want to reset and trade Cousins, they'll be able to do that in the offseason. Even though they aren't a playoff-caliber team, they're close enough to the 8-spot in the standings to -- potentially -- finally get Cousins into the playoffs and see what that looks like."
However, their team is not a playoff team as it is. They need to make a trade-like the injured (and expiring) Rudy Gay for a scorer (Wilson Chandler of the Denver Nuggets).
Amin Elhassan did not agree with the Kings reportedly taking Cousins off the trade market." Cousins is an elite talent, but if there's a deal out there with a nice cache of potentially high draft picks plus some intriguing young talent, they owe it to themselves to resume entertaining offers."
You can never say never when there could be a "godfather offer" on the way. Wih the Raptors' acquisition of Serge Ibaka, it could prompt rival Boston Celtics to make a bold move of their own.
Is this the year that the Kings finally return to the NBA playoffs and also give Cousins his first taste of the postseason? According to the Sacramento Bee blogger Jason Jones, this team is different from the other seasons' Kings.
"Unlike recent Kings teams that would have folded after a major injury, this group has resolve," Jones said. He quoted guard Garrett Temple: "We're NBA players, we're playing the best game in the world, we're making a great living, and we still have a chance to get in the playoffs."
The Kings are currently at 24-32, a game and a half behind the Denver Nuggets at 25-30. It's a tight race for the 8th spot as the Portland Trail Blazers and New Orleans Pelicans are right behind.