Sacramento Kings superstar DeMarcus Cousins is available in trade talks. The asking price is high but it has fallen since the 2016 NBA Draft.
DeMarcus Cousins is available after all. As the Boston Celtics try to acquire Blake Griffin from the Los Angeles Clippers, news broke on Cousins’ availability in trade talks that show a renewed willingness to listen offers for their superstar player.
Do not know other aspects of the deal. Celtics have also talked to Kings about Cousins, price is too high, but its possible as well
— Dan Lifshatz (@DanLifshatz) July 12, 2016
Before the 2016 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings seemed unwilling to trade Cousins. However, his trade stock has fallen since the draft. The Sacramento Kings have drafted two centers this year, one being the high-profile Skal Labissiere and the other Georgios Papagiannis. These selections coming a year after the team selected center Willie Cauley-Stein sixth overall in the 2015 NBA Draft.
The Sacramento Kings also drafted Malachi Richardson, a shooting guard from Syracuse, as they look to move both Ben McLemore and Rudy Gay.
Essentially, every team in the league knows that the Sacramento Kings are trying to rebuild. If that’s the case, Cousins will definitely leave in 2018, when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
Teams will know that they could make a run at him in two years without giving up anything. It’s really in the Sacramento Kings best interest to trade Cousins for something rather than let him walk for nothing.
This could be why he’s both available and though expensive, not quite as expensive as he was before.
Next: Sac-Town Reality Check