Cousins May Face Penalty For Media Run-Ins

Disciplinary action could be in the cards for DeMarcus Cousins, says Sam Amick of USA Today. Earlier today, the Sacramento Bee published a video of several hostile incidents between various media outlets and the Kings big man. According to Amick, the league is aware of the situation and a penalty could be coming in the next couple days.

The clip from the Bee shows Cousins confronting and shouting profanities at The Bee’s Andy Furillo after Furillo mentioned Cousins’ brother in a recent column. The video also shows a separate incident in which Cousins refuses to answer questions from reporters until Cowbell Kingdom managing editor Leo Beas leaves the locker room. The Kings have already issued a statement announcing that they’re looking into the matter, according to The Bee:

“We are committed to being open and transparent, and any hint of media censorship is unacceptable. There is an ongoing review into this matter, and we will take the appropriate steps immediately upon its conclusion.”

With or without a league-mandated penalty, the incident serves as the latest fuel for speculation that Cousins could be on his way out of Sacramento. The only problem? The run-ins with reporters will make teams even more wary of trading for the mercurial star. Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck described what he’s surmised from league executives in a tweet Thursday night: “Every GM I’ve asked recently has effectively said ‘Hell no’ to trading for Cousins.”

That goes along with one of the predominant themes in a recent article published at The Vertical by Chris Mannix.

“Trading Cousins is complicated; few players at his level are more polarizing. An example: Asked recently about Cousins, a high-ranking executive from a Western Conference team that had kicked the tires on acquiring him was adamant. He didn’t want him. ‘Everything about that guy is wrong,’ the exec told The Vertical. ‘I don’t want that attitude around my young players.'”

Still, Mannix explains, there may be a team or two willing to take on the baggage associated with the 26-year-old. Even in light of his recent involvement in an incident that unfolded outside of a New York City night club earlier this month.

Despite the uptick in drama surrounding the two-time All-Star, Cousins is averaging a career-high 28.3 points per game to go along with 10.9 rebounds.

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