DeMarcus Cousins is arguably the best center in the NBA right now, but his moodiness has become a problem for the Sacramento Kings, so much so that GM Vlade Divac will reportedly explore the market for Cousins. From Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee:
the sense within the organization is Divac is tempted by the prospect of pairing his center with his personally selected coach but that he has become increasingly frustrated by his center’s ongoing issues and, for the first time, is willing to test the market for the two-time All-Star.
Cousins, 25, was top five in scoring and rebounding in the NBA this season. He’s the type of player you can build a team around, but even his teammates can’t stand him sometimes. Several of Cousins’ teammates took issue with his moodiness and the disrespect he showed former coach George Karl.
The disconnect between Karl and Divac, and Karl and Cousins, is rivaled closely by the discord within the fragmented locker room. Apart from Rondo, Cousins has few friends among his teammates. Several players privately have complained to management about his mood swings and disrespect for those around him, including his coaches and in particular Karl.
The bottom line is this: Cousins may be difficult, but he’s too good of a player to get rid of. The Kings and Divac are fed up with Cousins, but are they seriously going to consider trading away an All-Star because he has an attitude problem?
Even if they do, who’s going to meet their asking price? Cousins isn’t going to come cheap.
Divac can explore the market all he wants to find a buyer, but it’s unlikely he find something in return for a player of Cousins’ caliber. He’s better off keeping Cousins and finding a coach who can handle him.
