It does seem a bit strange to hear the name of DeMarcus Cousins suddenly a hot topic on the trade rumor mill. In fact, it comes as a surprise.
In the offseason, Cousins' name was a popular name in trade rumors which was, of course, instigated by that celebrated misunderstanding he had with head coach George Karl.
But as everyone knows, team owner Ranadivé Vivek and vice president Vlade Divac made it clear that Cousins is not up for trade since they know he is the cornerstone of the franchise. If there was anyone who would be leaving at the time, it was Karl.
The Boston Celtics were the ones widely hot on his trail but the Kings were, apparently, not interested. And that stand hasn't changed until now, meaning all trade murmurs involving the temperamental forward have no weight tied up to it.
Divac reiterated that stand and said that Cousins is "off the table." Trade rumors involving the star forward were on the headlines once again, mostly stemming from wild speculations rumors.
Now, recall that the Kings consider Cousins a franchise cornerstone. He is a rarity, but normally, such would translate in the win-loss record.
As pointed out by NBC Sports, a 141–279 win-loss record since Cousins arrived isn't exactly something that is impressive. So if a good trade is on the table, expect the stand of Vivek and Divac to somehow take a different turn.
For that to happen, the Kings would want a player with skills equal to or better than what Cousins brings. From the looks of it, it has to be someone who can be a force inside and provide the muscle and fire that the Kings are most certainly lacking.
To date, there are a lot of players available. There is a mix of young and old who could be better players given the proper guidance and training. Once that player is identified, all these "off the table" trade rumors are likely to be forgotten.
The only thing now is who? Looking at some of the teams, the Sixers seem to have a lot of promising front men to consider. Nerlens Noel, Jahlil Okafor, or even the yet-to-debut Joel Embiid could be players of the future.
Julius Randle of the Los Angeles Lakers is another one who could make strides. Seeing that the Lakers would be interested in Cousins, it could happen. But for these deals to materialize, it will not be one for one deal.
