Big changes are seemingly on the horizon this summer for the Sacramento Kings. First-year Kings coach George Karl reportedly will try to trade for Denver Nuggets guard Ty Lawson, and he'd be open to trading All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins for the right offer.
Karl is expected to be active this summer, be it in free agency or through trades. According to Bleacher Report's Howard Beck, fans should expect to see some of Karl go after some of his old players - Lawson, in particular.
"George Karl's first power move as Sacramento Kings coach was to trade for Andre Miller, a trusted old hand from his Denver days. Expect more of the same this summer," Beck wrote Thursday. "Sources say Karl would love to acquire Ty Lawson-if the rebuilding Nuggets were to make him available-or any other members of his last Nuggets team, which won 57 games in 2012-13."
Lawson remained in Denver after the trade deadline, but at least one report - from Grantland's Zach Lowe - indicated the Nuggets could be willing to part with Lawson for the right price.
Sacramento doesn't have many assets - their first-round pick belongs to Chicago if it falls outside of the top ten - to barter with, but that could instantly change if they choose to trade Cousins. According to Beck, the Kings were open to doing so this up until the Feb. 19 trade deadline passed.
"Even DeMarcus Cousins, their franchise center, is not untouchable, according to a source with insight into Karl's thinking," Beck wrote. "'At the trade deadline, everyone was available,' the person said. Including Cousins? 'Every single person (on the Kings roster) was available.' Although Karl does not hold a front office title, 'he definitely has control' of future personnel decisions, the source said."
Moving Cousins could still happen after the season, and it's not as far-fetched as it seems.
