DeMarcus Cousins may have been just responding to a reporter's question. Or he may have been sending a message that the possibility of a trade is not dead.
The mercurial Sacramento Kings center praised the Los Angeles Lakers' young core of D'Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle during the Kings' 106-98 win Tuesday at Staples Center, according to tweets from Lakersnation.com reporter Serena Winters.
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DeMarcus Cousins: "The whole young (Lakers) core is very talented. D'Angelo is coming along, Jordan is coming along. It's just about time."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) March 16, 2016
DeMarcus Cousins: "It's a matter of time before it's clicking for all three of those guys (DA, JC, Randle). They're going to be a problem." — Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) March 16, 2016
The comments carry more weight for the Lakers because of their efforts to trade for Cousins last summer that were unsuccessful.
Cousins is averaging a career-high 27.3 points and 11.4 rebounds this season for Sacramento. But his relationship with coach George Karl has been declared beyond repair in some circles.
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The Cousins-Karl relationship has been deemed toxic and irreparable, according to NBA.com's Fran Blinebury.
"While acknowledging that Karl is edgy, demanding and confrontational, it's time Cousins is held responsible for holding the Kings franchise back," Blinebury said. "I was in favor of their giving him a chance back in 2010 and drafting him. But six seasons and five coaches later, it's been nothing but one problem and complaint after another. Time to Boogie on out of town."
The Kings nearly fired Karl last month, and the prevailing thought is that they will part ways with the veteran coach after the season.
But that doesn't necessarily mean that Cousins will be back with Sacramento in 2016-17.
"Karl will be fired after the season and Cousins may be traded, but not because of their broken relationship," NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper said. "Karl just isn't up for the job physically. While he still has a sharp basketball mind and still has the desire for the job, the grind has become too much and the lack of energy obvious to the front office and players. And on the other side, the issue is as it has always been: DeMarcus Cousins against DeMarcus Cousins. He hasn't gotten along with a lot of people inside the locker room. It's not a George Karl thing."
Any deal would be contingent upon the Lakers getting a top-three pick in the 2016 NBA Draft; if they get the fourth-pick or lower, they forfeit that pick to the Philadelphia 76ers as part of their deal for Steve Nash in 2012.
The Kings would want at least that pick and likely one of Los Angeles' young guns. But it does put a deal for Cousins, who has two years left on his contract after 2015-16 worth $35 million.
And his comments on the Lakers youth would suggest that he would be amenable to helping Los Angeles rebuild its dynasty.
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