NBA Rumors: 5 Noteworthy Names Who Could Actually Be Traded

DeMarcus Cousins, C – Sacramento Kings

There may not be many better scoring centers in the NBA than DeMarcus Cousins. Unfortunately, there may also not be many front office staff in Sacramento who still want him on the team.

Over the last few years, Cousins has allegedly been on the trade block. While the Kings have yet to move him, it seems this could finally be the year he gets shipped off to a new team. According to an anonymous NBA GM (via Sporting News), he expects Cousins to be traded before the 2017 deadline.

There are a couple of reasons why this makes perfect sense.

First, Cousins only has one year left on his current contract after this season. He’s not expected to re-sign, so why not find a trade partner for him while his value is still high? That way Sacramento can clear some cap space and acquire some future assets for one of the NBA’s top centers.

Second, he’s had some issues with lashing out at referees and coaches. If this team is serious about turning things around, they need to start building around a player without all of the character concerns that Cousins carries.

It’s difficult to imagine the Kings parting ways with such an excellent player. However, it’s in the team’s best long-term interests to move the offensive big man, especially with how tumultuous his time with the franchise has been.

Next: 5 Big NBA Names Allegedly On The Trade Block

Cousins is right there alongside Noel as one of the most likely names to be dealt before the deadline.