WEDNESDAY, 10:51am: The Celtics and Kings still haven’t had any conversation about Cousins, tweets Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. Kings GM Vlade Divac indicated that he hasn’t received a ton of calls about Cousins and again signaled that he has no intention of trading the star center, according to Sam Amick of USA Today (on Twitter).
3:37pm: Heat sources who spoke with Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel deny any link between Whiteside and Cousins (Twitter link).
TUESDAY, 2:19pm: The Heat, Bulls and Celtics are actively pursuing DeMarcus Cousins, though the Kings have no plans to make a deal, league sources tell Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops. The teams are nonetheless actively pursuing the Sacramento center, and Miami is offering Hassan Whiteside, Justise Winslow, plus others with enough salary to make a deal work, according to SheridanHoops founder Chris Sheridan. Miami would have to give up significantly more salary than the $3,463,068 that Whiteside and Winslow make to reel in Cousins, who makes nearly $15.852MM, however. The Heat are a taxpaying team, so they can’t take in any more than 125% plus $100K of what they give up in a swap.
A source tells Scotto that the Bulls are looking to find more playing time for rookie Bobby Portis, who’s stuck in a crowded frontcourt that features Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol, who can both become free agents this summer, along with Taj Gibson and Nikola Mirotic. Noah and Gibson are available, according to Scotto, though Bulls sources insist to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders that a Noah trade is not a consideration. The Celtics have copious draft assets, with as many as five extra first-round picks coming their way, though it’s unclear exactly what they’re willing to put on the table.
Cousins is signed through 2017/18, unlike Whiteside, who’s poised for free agency this summer. The Heat only have Early Bird rights on Whiteside, so they can’t exceed the cap to pay him more than the estimated average annual salary for next season, an amount that’s likely to come in far beneath his market value. Sacramento or any team that would trade for Whiteside would inherit those rights, so the Kings wouldn’t necessarily have any easier time re-signing him than the Heat would.
The Kings have held steadfast to Cousins in recent months after a flurry of rumors over the summer. They would have taken D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle and a late first-rounder from the Lakers in exchange for Cousins in the offseason, but the Lakers were unwilling to do such a deal, according to Sheridan.
Celtics give smart bkn pick sully and 2018 bkn pick and 2016 mavs pick for boogie
Bulls give gasol McDermott snell 2016 first kings first back and 2018 first for boogie
Lakers give Russell Randle 2016 second round pick and 2018 second for boogie
Heat give whiteside Winslow Anderson future first
I think the Bulls would try and move one of Noah/Gasol plus Gibson and maybe someone else.
These seem so inaccurate I don’t know where to start… Gasol or Whiteside would be one year rentals. Kings will pass on those being big parts of the deal. Second, you’re a little first round pick happy in the non Heat deals. 2 Brooklyn picks, Smart, Sully and the Dallas pick is too much. C’s will balk, don’t care how much Danny Ainge wants his star. No way Lakers trade their 2 highest potential players for 2 years of Boogie… I hope… :)
No way Bulls give up all that for Cousins. Look for Bulls to trade combo of 2 gibson/noah/snell for SF help, free up minutes for portis and cap relief.
I seriously doubt that the Heat are offering all of that for Cousins, unless maybe they are trying to move Dragic, and then flip DeMarcus to open up space to make moves in free agency. I just don’t see that being the case, especially with what our outlook can be this season. At the end of the day, I don’t see the fit with him other than pairing him with Pat Riley, and our veterans. I’m high on Winslow as well. We just need a shooter on the wing, preferably someone that can defend adequately
Trade Noah and Pau for boogie
Keep dreaming he not getting traded
the kings can keep him for all that.. the celtics need to keep sullinger and that core together.. trade zeller, johnson, james young, rozier or even smart and the nets pick and one other pic..
Boogie is a franchise big so the discussion probably has to start with Jimmy Butler, a Rd 1 pick, and one of noah/gibson. Since the Kings might lose Rondo to free agency, maybe they would swap rose and a future pick for rondo in the package as well.
Rose is untouchable
Noah is untouchable.
Butler and Gasol fits with George Karl and his system.
McLemore & Cousins fit Hoiberg’s system.
Add In two first round picks and a Bulls/Sacramento trade would be great for both teams.
Bulls need to trade Noah, Portis has potential to be a great big man
Regardless of attitude issues or personality clashes with coach Karl, Cousins is too talented to trade away with that much time left on his contract. The Kings should take at least one more offseason to try to build a contender around him.
So tired of the bad boy image that Cousins been carrying every since he came in the league time to dump the trash . The Bulls are losing Gasol so hear a good trade Gasol plus a 1 st Rd pick and Snell plus 2 million and the Kings do homework on drafting Bumbs who would have flunked out of school his sophomore year
Fascinating that even when the Kings are playing well, Cousins rumors run rampant. I think it will take a Kings ransom — no pun intended — to make it happen and I doubt it will this season.
How about…
Kings trade…
Demarcus Cousins
Ben McLemore
Bulls trade…
Jimmy Butler
Pau Gasol
Renounce rights to Sacramento’s protected pick
Bulls 2016 first round pick.
The Kings get 2 all-star starters and 2 immediate first round picks.
A “King’s ransom” if I’ve ever seen one.
Kings trade…
Demarcus Cousins
Ben McLemore
Bulls trade…
Jimmy Butler
Pau Gasol
Renounce rights to Sacramento’s protected pick
Bulls 2016 first round pick.
This solves the Bulls chemistry issue with the starting unit and Hoiball officially begins.
* Sacramento receives two current ALL STAR STARTERS.
Sacramento becomes a playoff team with a bright future.
This is the best package Sacramento can receive & an offer that’s extremely hard to refuse.
The kings have a better chance at getting Derrick Rose than they do of getting Jimmy Butler. The guy has made himself into a top 29 player.
Jimmy Butler is the only untouchable player on the team. Moving him in a Cousins trade would just be a lateral move – not worth it. Take anything/everything else you want, and the Bulls will jump.
And that trade would be HORRIBLE for the Lakers. Let the young talent grow, and then use your ridiculous amount of money on a FA or 2 to fill your gaps; it’s LA, a lot of players would love to go there. Boogie doesn’t get them any closer to a championship right now.