DeMarcus Cousins’ tumultuous five-year run with the Sacramento Kings may be close to an end, as rumor has it that new head coach George Karl would like to move the mercurial big man. The NBA Draft is just days away, so teams with juicy draft picks may be preparing to ship them Sacramento’s way in exchange for one of the league’s most prolific statistical centers.
These are the most likely destinations—and trade packages—that might land Cousins.
Los Angeles Lakers
With Cousins newly available, all eyes have turned to the Los Angeles Lakers. They have a ton of cap room, a need for a new franchise cornerstone with Kobe Bryant on the precipice of retirement, and the No. 2 overall pick in the draft.
Cousins is going to make upward of $15 million this year, and that figure is going to trend up for the two following seasons, so the Lakers need to be sure that he will be able to control his impulses on one of the NBA’s biggest stages. The Lakers have historically housed dominant centers, and Cousins will be expected to carry that tradition. It will be taxing mentally, and there will be instant expectations.
The Lakers are nearly devoid of talent though, and while their cap room was expected to be fodder to ink Kevin Love, Cousins was a somewhat unforeseen option. If L.A. would part with the No. 2 pick, and promising young point guard Jordan Clarkson, it may not take them multiple first-rounders to net this talented big man.
That package would also prevent Sacramento from spending much more money on declining point guard Rajon Rondo, whom they are said to be interested in signing. In this scenario, the Kings may use the No. 2 pick on Duke center Jahlil Okafor, who will enter the league with a similarly dominant post game.
New York Knicks
The Knicks have more cap room, but fewer assets than the Lakers. They have the No. 4 pick in the draft, which should allow them to take one of D’Angelo Russell (PG, Ohio State), Emmanuel Mudiay (PG, China), or Kristaps Porzingis (F, Spain). For the Knicks to acquire Cousins, that No. 4 pick is likely gone without swapping with the Kings. They’ll say goodbye to Tim Hardaway Jr. as well, in addition to future picks.
That might not be appealing to Knicks fans who are fearing a repeat of past mistakes. It is hard to blame them, but Cousins is a tantalizing talent.
Phoenix Suns
The Suns have a very healthy amount of cap room, and one of the best assets in the game in point guard Eric Bledsoe. His value took a hit when he signed a five-year, $70 million contract last season, but 25-year-old combo guards that can defend every perimeter position and get to the rim don’t grow on trees. Phoenix has the No. 13 pick, so that plus Bledsoe, and a future first-rounder may be enough to net them the double-double machine.
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