For the past five years, DeMarcus Cousins has been the subject of trade rumor talks. But until now, Cousins is still playing for the Sacramento Kings. But rumors says that this season might be the season where DeMarcus Cousins be traded to other teams. Could the Golden State Warriors be the next destination for Cousins?
Drafted as the 5th overall pick by the Sacramento Kings, DeMarcus Cousins quickly became the face of the Kings franchise. In his 6 seasons with the Kings, he averages 20.2 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 415 career games. He is also a two-time NBA All-Star and a two-time All-NBA Second Team.
But despite his individual excellence, Cousins failed to carry the Kings back to playoffs. He is clearly the best center right now. But what kept him from moving to the next level is the poor performance of his team.
At 4-8 win-loss record, the Kings are 11th place in the West. Considering how competitive the Western Conference is right now, it looks like they will not make the playoffs once again this season. And according to Sporting News, there is a high chance that Cousins will be traded this season.
Cousins have been in the NBA trade rumor topics since the offseason. Many teams have been rumored to be interested in acquiring Cousins. But could the Golden State Warriors be the best fit for the best center in the NBA today?
NBA superteam Golden State Warriors have been on a roll recently. They won 5 straight games and the latest victim is the Toronto Raptors. But they are still not playing their best basketball yet. Aside from the fact that NBA superstar Kevin Durant is just new to the team and still adjusting, a lack of rim protection and rebounding is still a problem.
Getting Cousins will put the Warriors into a much higher level. With Cousins on the Warriors' lineup, their weakness down low will now become their strength. Because Cousins is clearly the best center in the league right now.
How can the opposing teams defend that kind of team? Cousins could dominate in the post while Curry, Thompson and Durant are waiting in the three-point line. That will be ridiculous to watch.
Aside from that, Cousins will also benefit a lot if he becomes a part of the Warriors. With the Warriors, he has a great chance of winning an NBA title. And by playing for a championship team, Cousins talent will not be wasted and he might even be an MVP candidate.
For Cousins to be traded, the Warriors could trade Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston to the Sacramento Kings. Iguodala and Livingston will be free agents next season. And trading them to get the best center in the NBA makes sense.
And this season, Cousins has a salary of $16.9 million, as per Spotrac. Iguodala and Livingston on the other hand have salaries of $11.1 million and $5.7 million respectively. From a financial standpoint, trading Cousins for Iguodala and Livingston is feasible.
Cousins will be a free agent in 2018. And next season, his salary will only be around $18 million which the Warriors can still afford considering the expected increase once again in salary cap next year.
Could DeMarcus Cousins join the Golden State Warriors and contend for an NBA title? Stay tuned for more NBA trade rumors and updates.
