This is the time of year when trade rumors begin heating up and one name that has popped up consistently over the last couple of years is Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins. Arguably the most talented big man in the NBA today, Cousins has been a polarizing figure as he has clashed with a number of coaches and reportedly alienated some teammates.
Around this time last year, rumors were rampant that the Los Angeles Lakers were going to acquire Cousins in a trade though ultimately nothing happened. With the Lakers still in need of a big star, Cousins’ name has again surfaced as a possibility.
That may not be the case, however, as Sacramento Kings general manager Vlade Divac said that the Kings will not trade Cousins this year according to Sean Cunningham of ABC 10 in Sacramento:
Kings GM Vlade Divac was asked about trading DeMarcus Cousins today after the presser. 'He's not going to be traded – this year for sure'
— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) May 10, 2016
This is no guarantee that the Kings wouldn’t still make a move as there have plenty of other instances where teams said they weren’t going to do something before ultimately changing their mind. The Kings, and Divac in particular however, have said before that they would not trade Cousins and still have yet to do so.
If the Kings are intent on keeping Cousins, however, it becomes another potential trade target likely not attainable for the Lakers. The Bulls are rumored to want a massive package just to even begin discussions for Jimmy Butler and while the Lakers have been linked to Pacers forward Paul George, there have been no indications that Indiana has any interest in actually dealing him.
The Lakers will surely be putting out feelers in every direction as they try to improve the team through every avenue possible. The trade market may still be the team’s best chance of landing a star, but the names being mentioned at this time are starting to seem like longshots for the Lakers.