Demarcus Cousins suspended 1 game by Kings (Conduct Detrimental)

[SHAQATTACK]

well at least his trade value is going down.

I don't want to go anywhere near him but something tells me Danny might not be able to resist.

I could not have said it better .  TP

[Tr1boy]

KG is nothing like Cousins.

KG channels his emotions differently. Certainly not badmouthing the coach.  Whining to the refs nonstop. He actually knows how to talk and get the refs on his side

KG plays top level defense. The effort and intensity

Cousins is one lazy defender.  Doesn't finish his runs.  Doesn't hustle back to try to stop the transition.   What a dud

Offense is not everything

[SHAQATTACK]

Sully will look good in a Kings uniform .

[moiso]

KG is nothing like Cousins.

KG channels his emotions differently. Certainly not badmouthing the coach.  Whining to the refs nonstop. He actually knows how to talk and get the refs on his side

KG plays top level defense. The effort and intensity

Cousins is one lazy defender.  Doesn't finish his runs.  Doesn't hustle back to try to stop the transition.   What a dud

Offense is not everything

Totally agree.  When Garnett got upset he played harder.  When Cousins gets upset he stops trying.

[crimson_stallion]

Cousins is a great player, but to put him up there with all time greats is discounting one thing in particular- his attitude and it's negative effects to the team. Guy's like a child in a man's body and it's questionable if he'll ever put the team before himself- because he's never demonstrated the ability to do otherwise.

Interesting claim here.

Where is your evidence? 

A "child in a man's body" is exactly how I would describe KG. 

Hitting Channing Fry in the nuts during a game? That's not something an adult does. 

Allegedly telling Carmelo his wife tastes like honey nut cheerios?   That's not something an adult does.

KG's emotional reaction after winning the title in 08?  That was very much a child-like reaction. 

I think KG is very much a child in a man's body, and I don't think there is anything wrong with that.  In fact part of me kinda loves that about him.

As for Cousins never putting his team above himself - how could you say that?  He stayed with a losing and disorganised franchise out of loyalty, when he could have easily signed a max deal just about anywhere he wanted. 

The first major clash he had with the coach was apparently in defense of his teammates (that's what I read, at least).

I don't recall ever hearing examples of DMC putting himself above teammates.  He's never demanded trades. Never refused to get on the court.  If he's ever getting in trouble for arguing calls, it's because he's frustrated that his team is losing. 

When has he ever been on record for doing something clearly / notably selfish?

[crimson_stallion]

KG is nothing like Cousins.

KG channels his emotions differently. Certainly not badmouthing the coach.  Whining to the refs nonstop. He actually knows how to talk and get the refs on his side

KG plays top level defense. The effort and intensity

Cousins is one lazy defender.  Doesn't finish his runs.  Doesn't hustle back to try to stop the transition.   What a dud

Offense is not everything

What you need to understand is that the Kings are the anti-Celtics. We are able to excel as a team because we have a great culture, great morale, great coaching and a great group of guys with complimentary skills.  This allows us to play better than the sum of our parts.

The Kings have a horrible culture, horrible morale, horrible coaching, and a horrible misfit of players.  This causes them to play far, far worse than the sum of their parts. 

Looking at their roster alone doesn't come close to capturing just how bad this Sacramento team is.  Without Cousins they would be a bottom 3 team in the NBA, yet with him they are battling for a playoff spot.

If you want proof of just how bad they are, then check their win record over the past 3 years in games that Cousins has not suited up.  You will find that they are pretty close to 76ers bad without him.

If KG were on this Sacramento team, even as much a leader as he is...I'm not sure that even he would be even half as motivated as he was in Minnesota or in Boston. 

Not saying Cousins is on the same level as a leader as KG (few players are), but you need to consider the context.

Look how the Pelicans were doing with Anthony Davis before they lost Tyreke and Gordon.  They were really doing no better than the Kings are with Cousins, and that team had at least as much talent as Sacramento with coaching/management that is nowhere near as bad.

Regardless, I still have no idea why this entire thread has become a Cousins vs KG debate. 

There are very few players in the NBA that have even half the leadership/competitiveness of KG.  Durant doesn't. Anthony Davis doesn't.  Lebron James doesn't.  James Harden doesn't.  Blake Griffin Doesn't.

Yet most people on here would kill for the chance to get those guys in a Celtics jersey.

If you are going to refuse every superstar that doesn't have KG's leadership/competitiveness, then I suspect you will probably never have a superstar in Boston...because such players come along once every one or two generations.

Fact is that Cousins is EASILY one of the top 10 most talented players in this league (with a level of talent up there with KG in his prime, even if his personality isn't) and if you, as a GM, are given the chance to get a young, healthy player with that type of talent on a great contract then you do it and you don't look back.

[wayupnorth]

Kevin suffered longer, as a better player, in a worse situation (as far as management and personnel go) than Cousins.

I don't think this is remotely true.  Minnesota was never close to organization of the year, but compared to the Kings?  The Maloofs were jokes.  Ranadive is a joke.  The Kings have gone through how many coaches, just in the last year?  One of those coaches -- Karl -- is visibly checked out, and he led an open mutiny in his own locker room, trying to recruit teammates to bash other teammates to management.  They hired a GM who didn't even know how trade calls worked, and who gave away pick swaps rights for cap space to sign overrated role players, when they could have created enough cap space by using the stretch provision. 

The Kings have easily been the worst run NBA franchise of the 2000s, and that includes the Clippers.  It's unreal how bad they've been.

KG was a consummate profession off the court, and was a real leader of men. A great influence on his teammates.

Consummate professional? 

Garnett punched Rick Rickert, a second-round draft pick of the Timberwolves last season, according to several sources with knowledge of the event. Seven stitches were required to close the cut on Rickert's chin, said Susan Rickert, the player's mother, during a phone interview yesterday.

According to a report in the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Garnett's attack was unprovoked.

Rickert, 21, scored several times with the 6-foot-11 Garnett guarding him. Several other players began to "tease" Garnett about being outplayed, according to a source. When Rickert scored again, Garnett struck him without warning.

"Rick was surprised that Garnett reacted the way he did," said Rickert's agent, Mark Termini.

In November 2000, Garnett punched teammate Wally Szczerbiak in the head following an argument.

So, that's two teammates he punched.  He made Big Baby cry.  He notoriously gave teammates one chance to impress him; if they disappointed him, he would never work with them again.  He refused to come out of the locker room to support his teammates when he was injured.   He was ejected and suspended many times, including during playoff games.  He developed a reputation as a dirty player, and was one of the most hated guys in the NBA.  There are many, many accounts of him being aloof, or even rude, to fans off the court.

I loved KG.  I loved his passion, I loved his defense.  However, let's not sugar coat that he had a temper, and sometimes he let his intensity get the better of him.

What a joke. Comparing Cousins to KG? Please.

I didn't compare.  I responded to somebody else's post comparing them.

You compared them before and you are joining in with users comparing them. So you have and you are.

?

Not only are you being inaccurate, but you're not adding anything constructive.  Find something meaningful to comment upon, or move on.

To be honest Roy, the only reason I even brought KG into this, is because I have read you, on several occasions, compare their attitudes.

I don't know how you can say you haven't compared the two, when that comparison is what inspired my first post, and I said as much in it.

I brought KG into this simply to show that just because you are a talented player on a badly run team, doesn't mean you have leeway to disrespect coaches, or not try as hard during a game.

DMC could handle this in a way better way, and on top of that, he signed with them. He should have known how dysfunctional they were, but he signed with them anyway.

He has no excuse for acting like a big baby.

I think your comparison between the two was inaccurate.

And, I think that you're taking whatever comparison I've made out of context.  I like players who play with passion and who hate losing.  KG and DMC share those qualities.  However, sharing a similar trait isn't saying the two are comparable as players.

Although, going down this rabbit hole...  If KG was put into a hopeless situation like the Kings organization, and perpetually lost, I wonder how much the media would have turned on him.  Can you imagine if Cousins did some of the things KG has?  Punching teammates and the like?  Getting ejected from playoff games?  Refusing to work with teammates who he deemed unworthy?

Even with kind media coverage, KG was the most disliked player in the NBA.  Imagine if he was stuck on a dead-end team early in his career?

I guess the bottom line is that I think KG is a real leader, while Cousins needs to have a leader outside of him to maximize his potential.

I would take him on the C's in a second,  and agree he is the best center in the game.

I just think KG is a different tier of player than DMC, because of his attitude.

You can say it is similar, but KG'S was always directed at other players, and DMCs is at refs and coaches.

[Roy H.]

KG is nothing like Cousins.

KG channels his emotions differently. Certainly not badmouthing the coach.  Whining to the refs nonstop. He actually knows how to talk and get the refs on his side

KG plays top level defense. The effort and intensity

Cousins is one lazy defender.  Doesn't finish his runs.  Doesn't hustle back to try to stop the transition.   What a dud

Offense is not everything

What you need to understand is that the Kings are the anti-Celtics. We are able to excel as a team because we have a great culture, great morale, great coaching and a great group of guys with complimentary skills.  This allows us to play better than the sum of our parts.

The Kings have a horrible culture, horrible morale, horrible coaching, and a horrible misfit of players.  This causes them to play far, far worse than the sum of their parts. 

Looking at their roster alone doesn't come close to capturing just how bad this Sacramento team is.  Without Cousins they would be a bottom 3 team in the NBA, yet with him they are battling for a playoff spot.

If you want proof of just how bad they are, then check their win record over the past 3 years in games that Cousins has not suited up.  You will find that they are pretty close to 76ers bad without him.

If KG were on this Sacramento team, even as much a leader as he is...I'm not sure that even he would be even half as motivated as he was in Minnesota or in Boston. 

Not saying Cousins is on the same level as a leader as KG (few players are), but you need to consider the context.

Look how the Pelicans were doing with Anthony Davis before they lost Tyreke and Gordon.  They were really doing no better than the Kings are with Cousins, and that team had at least as much talent as Sacramento with coaching/management that is nowhere near as bad.

Regardless, I still have no idea why this entire thread has become a Cousins vs KG debate. 

There are very few players in the NBA that have even half the leadership/competitiveness of KG.  Durant doesn't. Anthony Davis doesn't.  Lebron James doesn't.  James Harden doesn't.  Blake Griffin Doesn't.

Yet most people on here would kill for the chance to get those guys in a Celtics jersey.

If you are going going to refuse every superstar that doesn't have KG's leadership/competitiveness, then I suspect you will probably never have a superstar in Boston...because such players come along once every one or two generations.

What I find remarkable is that as bad as the Kings are, they've actually had a positive +/- with Cousins on the floor the last two seasons, and were about break-even three years ago.

For a perpetual lottery team to be outscoring opponents with Cousins on the floor demonstrates his impact, and pretty conclusively proves that he is not the problem.

[jambr380]

I would gladly take Cousins for the right price (I would include this year's BKN pick), but I absolutely hate his demeanor on the court. KG was my favorite NBA player for years before he was traded to the Cs; I feel nowhere near the same way about Cousins. The selfish vs selfless comparison with KG is probably the best, most succinct way to sum it up.

This is not to say Cousins can't clean up his act, but the Kings either need to get exponentially more talented (would this actually make them worse?) or he needs to go to a new team yesterday. It's obviously not working anymore. How can the Kings possibly bring in a new coach and expect it to work and what kind-of talent can they actually add? Rondo and Gay are actually good players and Collison/WCS should be good role players.

[LooseCannon]

Cousins seems more like Josh Smith than Kevin Garnett.

[Roy H.]

Cousins seems more like Josh Smith than Kevin Garnett.

If Josh Smith was one of the best players in the NBA and dramatically improved his game every year, I might agree.

[crimson_stallion]

KG is nothing like Cousins.

KG channels his emotions differently. Certainly not badmouthing the coach.  Whining to the refs nonstop. He actually knows how to talk and get the refs on his side

KG plays top level defense. The effort and intensity

Cousins is one lazy defender.  Doesn't finish his runs.  Doesn't hustle back to try to stop the transition.   What a dud

Offense is not everything

What you need to understand is that the Kings are the anti-Celtics. We are able to excel as a team because we have a great culture, great morale, great coaching and a great group of guys with complimentary skills.  This allows us to play better than the sum of our parts.

The Kings have a horrible culture, horrible morale, horrible coaching, and a horrible misfit of players.  This causes them to play far, far worse than the sum of their parts. 

Looking at their roster alone doesn't come close to capturing just how bad this Sacramento team is.  Without Cousins they would be a bottom 3 team in the NBA, yet with him they are battling for a playoff spot.

If you want proof of just how bad they are, then check their win record over the past 3 years in games that Cousins has not suited up.  You will find that they are pretty close to 76ers bad without him.

If KG were on this Sacramento team, even as much a leader as he is...I'm not sure that even he would be even half as motivated as he was in Minnesota or in Boston. 

Not saying Cousins is on the same level as a leader as KG (few players are), but you need to consider the context.

Look how the Pelicans were doing with Anthony Davis before they lost Tyreke and Gordon.  They were really doing no better than the Kings are with Cousins, and that team had at least as much talent as Sacramento with coaching/management that is nowhere near as bad.

Regardless, I still have no idea why this entire thread has become a Cousins vs KG debate. 

There are very few players in the NBA that have even half the leadership/competitiveness of KG.  Durant doesn't. Anthony Davis doesn't.  Lebron James doesn't.  James Harden doesn't.  Blake Griffin Doesn't.

Yet most people on here would kill for the chance to get those guys in a Celtics jersey.

If you are going going to refuse every superstar that doesn't have KG's leadership/competitiveness, then I suspect you will probably never have a superstar in Boston...because such players come along once every one or two generations.

What I find remarkable is that as bad as the Kings are, they've actually had a positive +/- with Cousins on the floor the last two seasons, and were about break-even three years ago.

For a perpetual lottery team to be outscoring opponents with Cousins on the floor demonstrates his impact, and pretty conclusively proves that he is not the problem.

Precisely.

[Ilikesports17]

Cousins seems more like Josh Smith than Kevin Garnett.

Mentally, I'd tend to agree

[SHAQATTACK]

Have to admit

Smart , Crowder and Boogie would be interesting trio ...if they would mesh 




Did I mention Sully would look swell in Black ? 

[crimson_stallion]

Have to admit

Smart , Crowder and Boogie would be interesting trio ...if they would mesh 




Did I mention Sully would look swell in Black ? 

Can't see why they wouldn't. 

Cousins seems to get frustrated with guys who just don't care.

Rondo has a challenging personality, but he is a competitor, he's a hard worker, and he hates to lose.  So far there's been no sign of he and Cousins having any issues.

I think Cousins would love playing with guys like Smart and Crowder - guys who are similarly passionate and competitive.  I think he'd embrace that in a huge way.