Trade rumors regarding Sacramento Kings star DeMarcus Cousins began when the team hired coach George Karl in February. While Cousins reportedly isn't a fan of Karl, Basketball Insiders' Steve Kyler is reporting the NBA All-Star isn't asking for a trade - yet.
Sacramento purportedly shopped Cousins prior to the NBA trade deadline, but nothing came of it. There's still the prevailing thought the Kings would trade Cousins for the right offer, given Karl's offensive system is built on speed and the two men are expected to have conflicting personalities. But according to Kyler, neither party is ready to call it quits just yet.
"According to sources close to the situation Cousins isn't pushing for a trade and is prepared to give head coach George Karl a chance to make all of this work next season. From there, all bets are off," Kyler wrote Wednesday. "... There are a number of teams that would be willing to trade for Cousins, but at this point it does not look like the Kings will actively engage on trade talks with Cousins, or at least that's what they have said to others who have asked."
Kyler suggested the quickest thing to change Cousins's mind is for the team to continue to lose next season.
Cousins is due about $50 million over the next three seasons before he becomes a free agent in 2018. Although Cousins has a hefty contract, he's talented enough to make it easy to move if Sacramento decides to trade him. A market for Cousins would instantly materialize if the Kings were to make him available, with the Boston Celtics already being linked to him.
