C's pursuing Cousins per Sam Smith

[Roy H.]

In order for this to be anything beyond clickbait, we have to believe that the sequence of events went something like this:

1. Kings fire coach, a move widely regarded as disastrous because it alienated their MVP-caliber center.

2. Kings search for and hire new coach without thinking about impact on MVP-caliber center.

3. Despite the fact that the new coach has some 25 years of experience with a particular style of play, Kings come to the realization only after hiring him that his style of play is incompatible with the MVP-caliber center.

4. Kings solve the problem by trading their MVP-caliber center.

Yeah I won't say that it's impossible that they trade Cousins, because crazier things have always happened in the NBA, but it's extraordinarily unlikely.  Even this offseason is incredibly unlikely.  They're going to give this coach reboot a chance.

Who knows with the Kings, right?  None of us would have expected #1 and #2 above to happen, either.

[SHAQATTACK]

I guess it really depends on how badly Cousins wants to leave  and how much loot Danny is willing to give up .

At some point you got to think Cousins will just be fed up with the years of Kings incompetence and suckyness.


They are as stubborn as Orlando was with Howard .

[Chief Macho]

I think Danny leaks this stuff just to keep fans engaged.   Can't wait to see the Kevin Love type deals proposed.   I mean how can't they want Kelly and Sully?

[KeepRondo]

Oh geez. I just hope we don't give up those picks from Brooklyn.

[Smokeeye123]

This is something realistic only if the Celtics win the lottery this year. I mean you could theoretically make a decent offer with the Nets picks and Olynyk or Sullinger but at what cost? Maybe those Nets picks turn out to be golden.

[The Rondo Show]

As they should.

I give up anything not named Smart to get him.

I absolutely give Smart to get Boogie

[byennie]

I highly doubt Cousins is going anywhere, but my "all in" trade would be:

Wallace, Bradley, Zeller, and 5x 1st rounders
Brooklyn 2016, 2017, 2018, Cleveland (unprotected in 2019), Memphis (2017-2021 lesser protections)

AFAIK that would be the most picks ever traded for one player, and Bradley + Zeller are both useful players.

This would leave us with our own picks, plus a core of:
Smart, Young, Olynyk, Sullinger, Turner, Cousins @ $27M

We could sign 2 max free agents in the offseason, and likely gear up for another S&T the next summer. Let's say Butler & Green, and we draft Cauley-Stein as a high value defensive role player:

Smart / (vet min / exception?)
J Butler / Young
D Green / Turner
Sullinger / Olynyk
Cousins / Cauley-Stein

That team would be scary defensively with up to 5 All-Defensive caliber players (Smart, Butler, Green, Cousins, Cauley-Stein), and multiple scorers (Cousins, Sullinger, Butler, Olynyk and hopefully Young).

We would *still* own all of our own picks, plus anything we get for Bass or Prince or Thornton.

[86MaxwellSmart]

I highly doubt Cousins is going anywhere, but my "all in" trade would be:

Wallace, Bradley, Zeller, and 5x 1st rounders
Brooklyn 2016, 2017, 2018, Cleveland (unprotected in 2019), Memphis (2017-2021 lesser protections)

AFAIK that would be the most picks ever traded for one player, and Bradley + Zeller are both useful players.

This would leave us with our own picks, plus a core of:
Smart, Young, Olynyk, Sullinger, Turner, Cousins @ $27M

We could sign 2 max free agents in the offseason, and likely gear up for another S&T the next summer. Let's say Butler & Green, and we draft Cauley-Stein as a high value defensive role player:

Smart / (vet min / exception?)
J Butler / Young
D Green / Turner
Sullinger / Olynyk
Cousins / Cauley-Stein

That team would be scary defensively with up to 5 All-Defensive caliber players (Smart, Butler, Green, Cousins, Cauley-Stein), and multiple scorers (Cousins, Sullinger, Butler, Olynyk and hopefully Young).

We would *still* own all of our own picks, plus anything we get for Bass or Prince or Thornton.

it's Possible Danny is thinking along these lines, Ainge would be wise to go after a guy like Cousins--if he expects to lure any Top Free Agents...Nobody is coming here with Smart and Sully being our best players...You get a core like the deal you outlined--and a couple of Free Agents puts us in Contention easily.

[ScoobyDoo]

I think Cousins could very likely be traded, during or shortly after the draft this year.

For example, if they could get the 2nd or 3rd pick in the draft, along with another young asset and a couple future firsts, they might be foolish to pass that up.

For example, Boston has the 3rd overall pick. Karl Towns or Okafor very likely available at that spot.

#3 pick, Sullinger or Olynyk, Bradley and change to make the numbers work and a couple future firsts? You'd be crazy not to take that deal if you were Sacramento, especially if you projects Towns or Okafor to be "special".

They've had Cousins for years and remain mired in the lottery. Towns / Olynyk would fly up and down the floor.

For Boston, pairing Cousins with Olynyk or Sully, Smart and Young probably puts you in contention for the ECF next year - we'd need to add some scoring at the three and some other solid vets.

There would be risks on both sides - for Boston, you'd be counting on Cousins getting dialed in in a new scene and for Sacramento that Towns or Okafor turn out to indeed be special.

Conversely, if we coudl simply add Towns or Okafor to our young core - we might not have a need to make the trade.     

Either way, it makes a lot of sense for us to shoot for a top three pick in this upcoming draft.

Trade or buy out Bass, Thornton and Prince ASAP - and focus on developing on young guys  - that will probably be enough to get us there. 

[jdz101]

lol at this board once again getting suckered in to the yearly cousins trade rumor garbage

[Smartacus]

We have a 70% of his production asset in Sullinger or a stretch big that fits Karl's system in Olynyk. Or both.

Evan Turner is starting to look like a player that Karl could use.

As stated earlier that potential Lawson by way of Bradley + Pick(s) swap.

Take your pick of our picks.

 That's a hell of a way to set George Karl up in a situation he could succeed in.

[action781]

Trade Idea - http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=q3bj8vk

Boston trades:  James Young, Brandon Bass, Kelly Olynyk, Tyler Zeller, 3 draft picks
Boston gets:  Demarcus Cousins

OKC trades:  Reggie Jackson, Perk
OKC gets:  Ramon Seesions, Brandon Bass, Tyler Zeller, 2015/2016 Mavs 1st (from Boston)

Sac trades:  Ramon Sessions, Demarcus Cousins
Sac gets:  Reggie Jackson, James Young, Kelly Olynyk, Perk (expiring), 2015 Boston 1st unprotected, 2016 Brooklyn 1st unprotected


If we wanted to quickly move in on Ty Lawson or another second star player, we would still have pieces to dangle like Marcus Smart, Sullinger, along with plenty of draft picks.

[tarheelsxxiii]

If reports are legit, I want Cousins and Lawson. We would instantly become a playoff team, if not this year, the next. Cousins is a steal if he can be managed, and Lawson is a G/Carolina product

[Kuberski1]

As much as I'd like to believe it....I just can't.  I have to believe that Karl not only accepts having Cousins on the team, but wants him there.  He is a one of a kind asset...if the Kings are going to go anywhere, odds are that Cousins is the guy to lead the charge.

[Spilling Green Dye]

I'm glad to hear that at the very least we are actively chasing big men.

We've been trying to land big men since 2011.  We'll see what happens. 

FYI, I've seen several people dump on Sam Smith in the past.  Take what he says with a grain of salt.

Correction - we've been chasing a big man/Center since circa 1992 (to replace an aging Parish).  Pervis Ellison, Eric Montross, failing to get Tim Duncan, Mark Blount, etc. did not cut it. 

I hope we can land Cousins & keep him happy w/o giving up all of our picks.  While this is a bit of a pipe dream, if Cousins is not in a better place on his team by the end of the year we are a very potent and likely trading partner.  I'd MUCH prefer to get someone like Cousins than a Ty Lawson type..