A Candid Conversation On The Sacramento Kings’ DeMarcus Cousins
By Josh Eberley
2) The Sacramento Kings are in the mix for a playoff spot, but their narrative for nearly a decade has been incompetence. Is this team getting in, or are they setting their fans up for massive heartache?
Davis – Time will tell, but it is nice to finally see them as a part of the conversation for the first time in years. I’m still not entirely sold on removing the label quite yet, but at least what they’ve done over the last 4-6 months appears to be working. Put simply, even if you “stumble” into the success after years of futility, you still deserve the credit when things work out.
If they can maintain this mix of intriguing characters and personalities while finding a way to continue winning, then fans should finally be able to smile about the present and future of the organization; regardless of whether they wind up falling just short in the race.
Ginsberg – I can’t see this team getting in as currently constructed. There is talent there, but there are too many decent-to-good teams in the West fighting for the chance to get blown out by the Warriors. I still think Utah is in the best position to grab that spot, as they finally got Favors back this week and should continue to improve as he gets back into the mix. New Orleans has been playing better lately, and even Portland has a decent shot with two-headed back court monster of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. Sacramento has a shot, but probably no better than a 30 percent chance or so.
Rowan – I think they have an okay chance to make the playoffs this season, but I wouldn’t consider them the favorites to claim the eighth seed. Whether they do or don’t doesn’t determine how competent they are. Cousins is playing at an incredible level and they have had a decent, but underachieving, team for awhile. The organization is a mess whether or not they stumble into a playoff spot in a very weak race for the eighth seed.
Thomas – George Karl has done a tremendous job turning this team around but it helps when you have a Cousins in your lineup. It will take three more months of all world performances from Cousins for this team to make the top eight.
Watson – The Kings don’t play enough defense to get a playoff spot, so massive heartache. Entertaining-as-hell heartache, mind you, but still massive.
Woo – I want to believe they’re getting in. They got better in the offseason and have the talent, without a doubt. If you throw every possible antihero in the room and put them up against insurmountable odds, sometimes you get unexpected results. I think it was Grantland that did a Suicide Squad supercut featuring the Kings last year. That was essentially spot on.
Who doesn’t want to see Steph Curry and Draymond Green against DeMarcus Cousins and…Seth Curry in the first round? And if they don’t get in this year with Utah and Portland still figuring themselves out, when will they ever?
Next: Is Rondo an ideal fit with Cousins?