Hoops Habit
Fansided

Sacramento Kings: Cousins Rumors Distract From Rebuilding

By John von Volkli

April 5, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) during the first quarter against the Utah Jazz at Sleep Train Arena. The Jazz defeated the Kings 101-95. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
April 5, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) during the first quarter against the Utah Jazz at Sleep Train Arena. The Jazz defeated the Kings 101-95. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Though he is currently slated for another three years as the franchise player for the languishing Sacramento Kings, DeMarcus Cousins has been at the center (apologies for the pun) of facile discussions over whether he might be a moveable commodity during the offseason.

More from Sacramento Kings

Along with the standard speculation and longing of a fanbase who has put up with a jarring season, league observers picked up on the soundbites head coach George Karl provided prior to the team’s first of two wins against the Lakers on April 13.

“I’ve had some great players and I’ve never had one player that I have said is untradeable,” Karl told the assembled media that night.

This one sentence may seem ominous to a Kings flock which has learned to brace for the worst of news and for left turns which suffocate the pilot light of a team on the mend.

Keeping in mind the Maloof-era attempts to pack up and unload the team in Anaheim, Seattle, and even Virginia Freaking Beach, as well as the sudden glories of one-time Kings Isaiah Thomas and Hassan Whiteside this season, there is much scar tissue from this decade to take into account.

When the fluidity of the front office came into play at the close of this season, some fans may have simply been happy to have former Sacramento All-Star Vlade Divac aboard as vice president of basketball and franchise operations.

To cynics and the mindful observer alike, however, the move to bring him in to fill the void left by Chris Mullin also served to reinforce the building narrative of Vivek Ranadive’s ownership being as slippery as the play on the court. So, let’s scale back our more unfounded worries for a moment.

Upon analyzing Karl’s general statement regarding the value of 2014-15 players at the close of the season, one might have eased off the panic button. Karl’s discussion of the team’s personnel needs in the coming season(s) had much more to do with how, in fact, to build around Cousins and accommodate his gifts as he regains his health in the coming months.

Karl’s instincts for pulling J-turns in slow-moving ships are telling him, per the aforementioned interview, that the Kings will need the addition of both defensive and offensive specialists. Importantly, Karl is open to these pieces coming in as either more seasoned veterans or fresh, young upstarts.

As “Boogie” is one of the more offensively tenacious centers in the NBA right now, Ranadive, Divac, and Karl will need to be in harmony with one another regarding how to showcase their franchise player during the next three years while not having him stand out in great relief among lesser role players, and Karl’s comments show flexibility.

It would appear that Cousins has fans in the front office as well, and they seem ready to fix their view on their window of opportunity. Vlade Divac’s admiration for Cousins, as well as his feel for the global sport, could certainly help to drive his intentions in the offseason; Vivek Ranadive denies that he is looking to dangle Cousins before eager suitors.

The Kings’ reputation for stability and straight shooting in terms of personnel is not flawless, but given the adamant denial, it does not appear that the Sacramento Kings are eagerly preparing to hurl their star to willing buyers.

Additionally, Karl’s desire to improve the standout players on the recently-concluded season’s roster should prove that he is eager to remain a hands-on coach intent on honing (or in some cases, establishing) fundamentals. This is something that applies to Cousins, despite all that he does well.

As we’ve seen recently, Cousins is amenable to the passing game, and is often plenty quick in transition. Getting things focused on the sideline and more comfortable on the court will open opportunities for role players as well as DeMarcus Cousins himself.

The front office and coaching staff will need to determine how best to create a system of mutual opportunity for the Sacramento Kings, one where a Cousins triple-double is a centerpiece of a more productive team game — not just an individual bragging right.

Of course, rational speculation does not often quell a rumor mill, especially when cryptic comments from team personnel can be quickly whipped into a fearful froth. That said, his statement about players not being “untradeable” could arguably be in regard to a fire-sale of less productive players in favor of holding on to key assets like Omri Casspi, Darren Collison, Rudy Gay.

Live Feed

1 advantage the Warriors have over each Pacific Division team
1 advantage the Warriors have over each Pacific Division team /

FanSided

  • 3 Ways Chris Duarte improves the Kings chances in 2023-24A Royal Pain
  • NBA rumors: Erik Spoelstra is a trojan horse, surprise suitor for JaVale McGee, Ben Simmons still loves PhillyFanSided
  • NBA Free Agency: Pacific rival shows interest in Golden State Warriors' championBlue Man Hoop
  • Secret weapons to keep an eye on in the preseason for Lakers, Warriors, KingsFanSided
  • NBA legend picks Sacramento Kings over Golden State Warriors...againBlue Man Hoop

    • Stress-testing Nik Stauskas, David Stockton, and others would make the picture clearer as to who will need to move along in a new market, and who has a future in Karl’s last great rebuild.

    Karl may just see tightening down the hatch on Cousins’ ball handling as a great challenge, and surely that would be a more promising project than simply trading the broken-in All-Star half-dollar for a few shiny dimes.

    In the end, though, Cousins’ future in Sacramento is not so much up to how he improves in the summer, or how visibly he may chafe at his surroundings, but just how much Vlade and Vivek can get for him. I refuse to call this feared (and again, only rumored) trade a bad move before hearing just what package would be changing hands.

    For the blowback it would surely draw, that package would have to add all the pieces Karl craves, and would have to create a show as big as the ones “Boogie” puts on – just spread out amongst a cohesive, fast-paced, and dynamic team.

    Of course, few successful remodeling efforts involve only demolition.

    Next: The 30 Best Small Forwards of All-Time

    More from Hoops Habit

    Home/Sacramento Kings