5 Best Potential Trades For DeMarcus Cousins

Isn’t it time for DeMarcus Cousins and Sacramento Kings to break up? Here, we explore five trades that would benefit both parties and possibly hold them in good stead for a few years.

DeMarcus Cousins and Sacramento Kings deserve better. They’ve prolonged an unhappy marriage for too long. And after six years together, it’s time to start anew and go their separate ways.

Ever since Cousins and former Kings coach Paul Westphal entered a shouting match back in 2012, which allegedly ended with the center demanding a trade, things have worsened in Sacramento.

While the Kings have endured Cousins’ mood swings, suspensions and inconsistent play, the Kentucky product has put up with the front office’s bizarre draft day decisions and free agency signings.

The Kings have fired five coaches since drafting Boogie in 2010. Dave Joerger, coming over from Memphis, is coach No. 6. Does Joerger have what it takes to co-exist with the two-time All-Star?

In April, Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee reported that Kings general manager Vlade Divac isn’t averse to the idea of shipping Cousins this summer:

"“A year ago, Cousins was untouchable. A year later, the sense within the organization is Divac is tempted by the prospect of pairing his center with his personally selected coach but that he has become increasingly frustrated by his center’s ongoing issues and, for the first time, is willing to test the market for the two-time All-Star.”"

Since then, it should be noted that Steven Kyler of Basketball Insiders reported the Kings are refusing to listen to trade offers for Boogie.

Earlier this week, however, we got another peek into the fractured relationship between Cousins and the Kings. While training with Team USA in Las Vegas, Cousins didn’t refrain from questioning Divac’s decision-making during last month’s draft.

Sacramento drafted Greek center Georgios Papagiannis at No. 13 and former Kentucky big Skal Labissiere at No. 28, exactly a year after drafting Willie Cauley-Stein and signing veteran Kosta Koufos in free agency. Add Cousins to that mix and Sacramento’s frontcourt seems a bit too crowded.

"“I can’t control (the draft decisions),” Cousins told reporters in Las Vegas when asked about Sacramento’s choices on draft night. “I control what I can control. I don’t really understand it, but I do my job. I don’t really understand what’s going on. I just control what I can control.”"

Cousins isn’t far off. How exactly do Kings plan to accommodate so many bigs?

Surely, Divac & Co. must be displeased with Cousins’ unwillingness to support the front office’s decisions, at least while speaking with the media.

It’s tough to build a winning culture when the front office and the franchise player aren’t on the same page. That explains why Kings have won over 30 games only once since Cousins’ arrival. Here are five trades that make sense if the front office changes its mind.

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