DeMarcus Cousins and Paul George are teammates in the US Olympic Basketball Team who just won a gold medal in the recently concluded Rio Olympics. Both are also in hot topic in almost all NBA trade rumors that are still swirling around the league today.
Earlier reports have linked both Cousins and George in many trade deals but none of those actually happen. Until today, rumors are still there. Another talk emerges again involving both players in a supposed three-team, seven-player deal.
According to The Inquisitr, even if the NBA regular season already started, there's no stopping the Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings to talk and make a possible trade deal on their players. Trade scenario suggests:
1. The Boston Celtics will get Pacers Paul George, Kings Ben McLemore and a first-round pick from Indiana;
2. The Indiana Pacers will acquire Kings DeMarcus Cousins, Celtics Jae Crowder and a 2017 first-round pick from Brooklyn (via Boston);
3. The Sacramento Kings will obtain Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Amir Johnson all from Celtics together with a 2018 first-round pick from Brooklyn (via Boston) to close the deal.
And as per ESPN NBA Trade Machine, this a legal trade based on rules and salary cap restriction. From the looks of it, this massive deal involves mostly franchise players for their teams and regular starters as well.
Acquiring George and McLemore is a good deal for the Celtics. However, it will weaken their point guard, small forward and power forward positions. Though a talent like George is hard to pass up, it could also affect Boston's future by giving up two future first-rounder picks as well.
On Pacers point of view, it will also hard for them to give up George, who deemed to be the franchise player of the team. Though Cousins, Crowder and a future first-round pick are enticing, the Pacers are committed to George and believe that he can lead to glory sometime soon. Cousins' attitude could be a consideration too if Pacers president will decide.
On the other hand, the Kings would also give up their franchise player in Cousins but the good thing is, there has an upgrade in all the position they've acquired. However, take note that none of those players will give a big impact and might not help them at all.
On the separate report by Christian Post, among the three teams involved in this rumor, it seems that the Celtics got the better end of the deal. Having an All-Star like George in the lineup together a young talent in McLemore.
As for the Pacers, they will a problem on rotating Cousins, Myles Turner, and Al Jefferson if ever this trade pushes through while the Kings seems to be not getting the enough value in releasing both Cousins and McLemore.
Nevertheless, this rumor is still speculative and none of the teams involved have confirmed this deal.
