7:46 pm: In an article published Sunday evening, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical says that Vivek Ranadive‘s stance on trading DeMarcus Cousins has “softened.” Previously the owner wanted to retain Cousins as a franchise pillar and, as recently as January 26, wouldn’t even entertain the prospect of making a deal.
More recently, Wojnarowski writes, Ranadive has been influenced by off-court incidents that call to question the big man’s temperament.
5:46 pm: Wojnarowski has tweeted that Cousins and agent Jarinn Akana have met with Vlade Divac and Kings’ ownership and have been reassured that Cousins is not being traded.
As was the case with the reported Cousins talks involving the Suns a few weeks ago, it seems these discussions were initiated by another team, rather than the Kings. As we noted at the time, it’s possible that not everybody in the Kings organization is on the same page with regard to a possible Cousins deal, which is why rumors keep popping up, only to be shot down.
“There’s just so much ambiguity about how the decision-making process works [in Sacramento] and what information actually gets back to whom,” one rival executive told Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com last month.
5:33 pm: Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee pumps the brakes on trade talks, saying that he has been told Cousins is not being traded, despite teams having inquired about his availability.
5:30 pm: It seems as though Jrue Holiday is not currently part of the outgoing Pelicans package, tweets Scott Kushner of the New Orleans Advocate, but Kushner wouldn’t be surprised if they were willing to include him if push came to shove.
5:21 pm: Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders has added that the Pelicans are allegedly offering their 2017 first-round pick, Hield and an additional first-round pick. Meanwhile, Scott Kushner of the New Orleans Advocate adds context, saying that the Pelicans have felt pressure to improve and nearly everyone but Davis is on the table.
5:17 pm: According to Justin Verrier of ESPN, the Pelicans have made inquiries on Paul George as well, but the Cousins talks have progressed further.
5:12 pm: The Kings have recently discussed big man DeMarcus Cousins with the Pelicans, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. The center has been the subject of speculation on and off throughout the 2016/17 season. Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders echoes the sentiment, elaborating that a possible deal could involve Buddy Hield and multiple Pelicans first-round picks.
While Wojnarowski previously wrote in a separate tweet that the Kings have been actively engaged in trade talks regarding Cousins for the last few days, the latest implication that the Pelicans are interested makes sense. Less than two weeks ago it was made public that New Orleans was seeking a center to pair alongside Anthony Davis.
If Cousins were to join the Pelicans, he and Davis would instantly make one of the league’s most dynamic pairings, a frontcourt duo unparalleled in the league today.
Just last month it appeared as though the Kings and Cousins were on track to sign a max contract this summer. That deal, it’s estimated, could be for five years at just under $210MM. If such a trade were to transpire, however, Cousins would no longer be eligible for the Designated Veteran Extension, as Bobby Marks of The Vertical tweets.
That HAS to be a joke. Why would they trade Cousins for that package when they’ve supposedly been offered so much more by others?
right i dont understand that, boston offered way more on a low ball offer.
LOL
Cousins and Davis would be unstoppable! Then add JH, and Evans’ versatility…they would be so incredibly tough to beat!
Again, Vlade trying to ruin that team.
Id rather vlade divac start a rebuild than have one good player that doesn’t like his team for another 10 years and then start rebuilding.
Well here’s the thing: he’s stated SO many times that DeMarcus isn’t going. That’s fine if he wants to keep him. The problem is if he does trade him, the longer he waits, the more his trade value goes down. It’s very gradual, but if he waits too long if he gets dealt, the return will be underwhelming for someone of his caliber.
I’m pretty sure Alexis Ajinca and/or Omer Asik(possibly even Tyreke Evans and his expiring contract) would be involved with Hield and the picks to help match the salaries on New Orleans end. Adding a guy like Boogie would defiently help make the Pels front court one of the best in the West.
NO would have to do a WHOLE lot better than those add-in scrubs you mentioned to get a deal done for Cousins. And why on earth would the Kings want Tyreke Evens back after having let him go once already? Stop thinking like fanboys, always looking to trade your junk for someone else’s gold. Hield and a pair of ones is a decent start. But the Pels gotta do way better after that to land the BEST big man in the game.
I’m just saying what would work money wise for NO.
Apparently not.. Haha
I really hope this happens. It’s getting frustrating having HOF talent like Cousins and Davis playing for nothing every year because their teams are atrocious. Kings should follow the Sixers model and tank for a few seasons. I’d be surprised if all they got was Hield and a few 1st rounders though- I’d expect a three team deal with someone like Jahlil Okafor going to the Kings as well and Jrue Holliday going to Philly, and someone like TJ McConnell going back to NOLA.
I totally agree with you. Talents like Booker, Boogie, Jokic, Davis are wasted in the cellar of the west. I’m also sick of hearing the same rumors about Cousins, or Melo, or Love and nothing ever happening.
Yes I do realize that Booker and Jokic have only been in the league two years but it still bothers me that they play so well and it practically doesn’t even matter because they don’t have a realistic shot in the West
I’ll believe it when it happens. Kings have suffered through the worst with Cousins; why would they trade him now, when he’s now committed to them (and the $$ only they can pay him)?
If somebody else offers that same deal Sac is reported to try to offer him, then he’s packing his bags right away
Nobody else can, even a team he’s traded to.
Do you believe it?
Man I want them to trade him to a team in the east where he would have a better chance of winning.
This just upsets me…. can a big trade just happen and make the NBA a little more entertaining
that would be a dumb trade for the Kings….but who wouldnt want to see the 2 best all around big men playing together….
I wanna see the Sixers deal Jahlil to Sacramento and get their 1st rounder… 3 of the Top 7 picks in a strong draft class would be hilarious (assuming that the Lakers fall out of top 3)
If that all the Celtics could easily outbid them with Brown and the 2 nets picks. They’d have to really like Hield to turn that down.
They wouldn’t even need both of the Nets picks. They could do it possibly with just one.
True
The Pelicans GM must think every GM in the league is an idiot. He’s offering every team garbage and trying to get gold. Nobody is gonna want the contracts of Ajinca or Asik. Stop trying to make it sound like a good deal when its trash.
You don’t trade a top five player period
He’s not top five so that doesn’t apply here.
Kings would be smart to trade Cousins to the highest bidder.
Vlade is a loser and deserves that team.
They should trade Cousins if they are smart, they are a middle of the road team at best and need to shake it up.