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The Sacramento Kings were picked as a potential dark horse team to make the playoffs in 2015-16, but the wheels fell off almost from the start. The team started 1-7 and they felt like the best thing to do was hold a closed-door team meeting less than two weeks into the season. While it seemed to help for a while, there were team chemistry issues all season long and it led to the team finishing a disappointing 33-49.
At the center of the chemistry issues is the Kings’ best player, DeMarcus Cousins. Although he made his second straight All-Star team and averaged 26.9 points and 11.5 rebounds, Cousins was suspended multiple times and alienated pretty much every player on the team aside from Rajon Rondo.
Cousins’ worst relationship was with head coach George Karl, who ended up being fired at season’s end. It stemmed from Karl’s unsuccessful attempts to trade Cousins last offseason. He thought that he was given control of the roster and wanted to move on from Cousins, but the front office and ownership blocked the trade.
Now with the team in search for a head coach and getting ready to open a new arena next season, it would seem to be a perfect time to move on from Cousins.
According to the Sacramento Bee, general manager Vlade Divac finally seems to realize it.
A year ago, Cousins was untouchable. A year later, 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.
Karl has plenty of company. 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 Kings are never going to win anything with Cousins being the team leader and centerpiece. It’s time to get rid of the headache and get the biggest package that the team can get for one of the best (but most frustrating) players in the NBA.
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