NBA rumors are swirling that Sacramento Kings big man DeMarcus “Boogie” Cousins could be headed to the Denver Nuggets or the Portland Trail Blazers, reports from multiple sources have hinted.
Despite being only 11 games into the season, DeMarcus Cousins’ name has already surfaced in potential trade rumors. NBA analyst and ESPN writer Tim MacMahon explained that multiple general managers believe the Sacramento Kings center is available for the right price .
“Consensus among several league sources I asked about the DeMarcus Cousins/Sacramento situation: The Kings would trade him before the deadline if they were smart. The logic is that Cousins is extremely unlikely to return to Sacramento once he becomes a free agent, and the Kings can maximize his trade value when he still has another full season remaining on his contract.”
Bleacher Report noted that DeMarcus Cousins is owed $35 million over the next two seasons, and his contract expires after the 2017-2018 season. DeMarcus Cousins has averaged 20.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game for Sacramento over his seven-year career, making him an attractive player for teams looking for a talented, young superstar.
One team that has several assets and a burning desire to get their missing piece is the Denver Nuggets. Despite a 3-5 record, the Denver Nuggets are in a great position to add DeMarcus Cousins and become a contender in the crowded NBA Western Conference, The Ringer reported recently. Writer Kevin O’Connor penned that the team was one player away from realizing their championship potential.
“Inspect all the teams in the league, and you won’t find many young squads with a brighter future. They look like a middling team on the playoff bubble, but they’re really just one or two moves away from being special.”
Pairing Danilo Gallinari and Nikola Jokic last season and early this season has not worked out for the Denver Nuggets. With the two in the lineup together, Denver has suffered its worst offensive and defensive performances among all possible lineup combinations. DeMarcus Cousins could provide his former coach — and current Denver head man — Michael Malone a dynamic offensive teammate for Danilo Gallinari to play with for at least the remainder of this season and the next.
The Denver Nuggets have the assets needed to acquire the superstar, according to the article. The team could offer the Sacramento Kings one of their two first-round draft picks in 2017 to go with Nikola Jokic for a star like DeMarcus Cousins. The Denver Nuggets could also offer up one of their 2016 draft picks — Jamal Murray, Malik Beasley, and Juancho Hernangomez — as assets for the DeMarcus Cousins trade.
? NBA Trade Rumors for 2016-17 NBA Season: Nerlens Noel, DeMarcus Cousins to be Traded, Portland Most… https://t.co/QydwOwOsHZ #NewsIglesia pic.twitter.com/eaylNq6Dnz
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Another interesting rumor being circulated is that the Portland Trail Blazers could be in the market for DeMarcus Cousins, Headlines & Global News reported this weekend . The report suggested that DeMarcus Cousins would provide offensive support from his frontcourt position while All-Star Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum would open up the inside thanks to their long-range shooting ability.
If the Portland Trail Blazers traded for DeMarcus Cousins, the team would most likely give up one of their 2016 offseason additions to do so. Festus Ezeli — the former Golden State Warriors center — was a sought-after player before signing with the Trail Blazer. Portland would likely part with either Festus Ezeli or starting center Mason Plumlee as both players are upgrades to the Sacramento Kings’ current starting power forward Kosta Koufos.
While NBA rumors have focused on DeMarcus Cousins being the player shipped out by the Sacramento Kings before the NBA All-Star break, Willie Cauley-Stein is also not happy with his new role under first-year head coach Dave Joerger, Bleacher Report suggested. No potential trade partners were mentioned for Willie Cauley Stein.
Do you believe the NBA rumors suggesting that DeMarcus Cousins will be traded to either the Denver Nuggets or the Portland Trail Blazers? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
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