While you were watching the NBA All-Star Game, a trade was in the works and it was happening right under our noses. Many people didn't realize how little Kings all-star DeMarcus Cousins played in the game, only playing a mere two minutes in the game. Nobody knew that during the game a mega trade was in the works, and immediately after the all-star game it happened. The Boogie Cousins era is officially over in Sacramento, as the Kings traded away the big man to the new orleans Pelicans for draft picks and players.
All-Star frontcourt
To give you the exact details on the trade, here were the pieces moved in the Boogie Cousins trade.
The Kings Receive:
- Buddy Hield
- Tyreke Evans
- Langston Galloway
- 2017 first round & second round pick
The Pelicans Receive:
- Demarcus Cousins
- Omri Casspi
With that trade, it gives the New Orleans Pelicans without question the best frontcourt in the NBA. Anthony Davis and Demarcus Cousins are the only two players averaging 20 PPG and 10 RPG in the last four seasons. With the Pelicans at 23-34 this season, is this a move they made to possibly turn their season around? Well, with the eighth spot in the west up for grabs, the Pelicans can make a push for that final playoff spot. This is a trade that has been brewing over the last week, but both sides wanting to keep it under wraps because of the all-star game.
The Lakers could've been a possible destination for Cousins, but the Lakers didn't want to get rid of first round pick, Brandon Ingram. The Pelicans believe they can sign Cousins to a long-term deal this offseason and if they can, this will be a monster team for years to come. What might've been better than the actual trade, was Cousins' reaction to this news, as he took the news like the average guy takes the news of breaking up with his girlfriend.
Could this be the moment Boogie found out? 🤔 (via @manny_vieites) pic.twitter.com/homKWcsi2V
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 20, 2017
King-sized rebuild
With this trade the Kings are back to square one. When I mean square one, I mean all the way back to 2009, the year before they drafted Cousins. The Kings made the attempt to give Cousins veterans around him, adding talent like Rudy Gay and Matt Barnes.
This has been a failed experiment, as the Kings have yet to have a season over .500 since Cousins was drafted. Cousins' name was being heard in trade rumors, but the Kings denied any intent of moving him before the deadline. There was no doubt that Cousins was a volatile player, already having 17 technical fouls before the all-star break. Sacramento was looking to sign Cousins in the offseason, with sources saying it would be around $209 million.
The Kings tried to work with Cousins and his attitude, but just like many people, everyone has their boiling point. The Kings haven't helped out Cousins either, having a revolving door of head coaches and front office executives. The Kings are now once again in rebuild mode, and will look towards the draft and free agency.
The Kings' fan base has to be upset at the moment, giving away your last hope for possible contention, and now are going back again to the days of rebuilding. It would be smart of the Kings to get some notes from the 76ers on "Trusting the process." The Pelicans are definitely the winners in this all-star trade, giving them the best frontcourt players in the league on the same team, and now in prime position to move up the ranks in the western conference. As for the Kings, they are rebuilding and with no solid future in sight.
