A Candid Conversation On The Sacramento Kings’ DeMarcus Cousins

6) What’s the ceiling for Boogie? Assuming that he keeps himself in check, how high can this kid climb? He is only 25 after all.

Davis – I think we are witnessing him round into his ultimate form right before our eyes. If he’s able to stay healthy, there’s no reason why he couldn’t maintain averages similar to his current productivity (27/11 on 45 percent from the field in 2015-16) for a good portion of the next decade.

You’d like to see him shoot somewhere closer to 50 percent as he continues expanding his range, but Cousins has already become a legitimate threat from the beyond the arc. He’s already knocked down 44 on the season (33.8 percent), and looks more and more comfortable stretching the court. The next challenge with him will be in finding a way to not only produce on the court, but to also figure out how to get it to translate into continued success for his team.

Ginsberg – If he keeps himself in check and everything else goes right, I’d place his ultimate ceiling at Moses Malone. Granted, I was only seven years old when Malone retired, but based on what I have seen/read/analyzed statistically, it fits. Because Cousins shoots from outside of the paint more than most of the great centers in NBA history, it’s tough to find a perfect comparison, but that’s who I’ll choose.

Rowan – He can work his way into an MVP conversation if he’s put in a position to win. I firmly believe that.

Thomas – Boogie is the only one who can stop Boogie from becoming an All-Star year after year. If he gets himself under control, look out.

Watson – Cousins can still get better. Obviously, defense is still very much a work in progress. He can get more consistent with the three-point game he’s added to the repertoire and could rely less on brute force and more on quickness and finesse in the post. All of those additions are still very possible at his young age.

Woo – He’s probably already the best true center in the league. Statistically, I think he could be approaching it already — and that’s fine. If he does this for the next seven or eight years, that’s Hall of Fame territory — 27 and 11 plus significant numbers in the other main counting stats are insane.

If he ever gets paired with another star, you’d think his efficiency goes up and he’ll have to shoot less. These are all gigantic ifs, though. It’ll take some movement to get him into late playoff rounds, but boy, would that be fun. The best scenario to me involves him making some concessions and fitting in with the right group of teammates. The Kings better keep him happy, or that could be elsewhere.

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