Kings Suspend Cousins Indefinitely - CAN WE GET HIM CHEAP?

REAL GM
Dec 22, 2012 3:40 PM EST


Geoff Petrie announced on Saturday that DeMarcus Cousins has been suspended indefinitely by the Sacramento Kings due to "unprofessional behavior and conduct detrimental to the team."

Cousins and Keith Smart had a verbal altercation during halftime of the Kings' 97-85 loss to the Clippers on Friday.

Height: 6-11
Weight: 270
AGE : 22
Points - 16.6
Rebounds - 9.5
Assists - 2.1
FG% - 41.4

112288

We have to get a big. Period. Someone as talented as him is a no brainer as long as we don't have to give up the team. We just have to hope a change a scenery and veteran players around him, with expectations of winning, might make a difference. If it doesn't at least we can say we tried. We keep doing the same thing over and over and its not going to magically start working.
Sure wish we had took a shot at McGee or Blatch. Both could have been had cheap. We come up with Collins. Not even looking at this year and I would have taken either player over Collins. Collins is a good 2nd or 3rd stringer to come in and foul, block shots , and rebound (my dream). Melo would supply the same as Collins in my books. Sure he would make mistakes but whats the worst thing to happen, we will lose more games?

Doc has to get Melo some playing time just to see what the kid has.

112288

Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated is calling for a Bradley/Green for Pau Gasol trade.

Aside from the fact that Green can't be traded until mid-January...

There would have to be more from the Boston side for this to work as far as the numbers go.


bob


.

Pau Gasol is an old 32 year old.

Chris Mannix trade makes no sense, we lose a small forward and a 2 guard for a center who is starting to break down.

NO THANK YOU!

112288

FWIW, I'm not on the Fab Melo bandwagon yet. Yes, he had a good stat game against Erie, but I'd like to point out there is not one 7'er on the Bayhawks. It's not like Melo has been lighting up the D-league on a regular basis and this was just better than usual.

Sully is a FAR more NBA-ready player than Melo and he's struggling a bit with NBA calls, defenses and players.

Let's remember that we have always considered Melo to be a multi-year project. We're not even through year 1 of "multi".


bob


.

I understand the need for a big, but taking on Cousins would be a huge risk. We've had this discussion before. He's an extremely talented knucklehead who lets emotion and immaturity rule the day on the court. To expect the Celtic team culture to change his ways is unrealistic, and he would most likely frustrate you guys no end if he played here.

From an article I found:

October 2010

• Cousins is fined $5,000 for a verbal altercation with strength and conditioning coach Daniel Shapiro.

December 2010

• Cousins is fined and benched for making a choking sign after Golden State guard Reggie Williams missed a late free throw. The Kings would blow a lead and lose the game in overtime.

February 2011

• Cousins is fined one game check and removed from the team charter flight after a physical altercation with teammate Donte' Greene in the locker room after a loss to Oklahoma City. Cousins was upset Greene didn't pass him the ball late in the game.

January 2012

• Kings coach Paul Westphal sends Cousins home before a game after the coach said the center demanded to be traded for the second time during the season. Cousins said he never asked to be traded.

April 2012

• Cousins is fined $25,000 for publicly criticizing officials. Cousins said L.A. Clippers star Blake Griffin was "babied" by the NBA and officials during games.

• Cousins has to have his 13th technical foul rescinded to avoid a suspension for reaching the league limit during the lockout-shortened season.

November 2012

Cousins leaves the locker room after a loss to San Antonio to confront television analyst Sean Elliott. Cousins is suspended for two games by the NBA for a "hostile" confrontation with Elliott, who Cousins was told had been critical during the telecast.

December 2012

• Cousins is suspended one game for hitting Dallas Mavericks guard O.J. Mayo in the groin. Cousins said the contact was accidental.

• The Kings suspend Cousins indefinitely for unprofessional behavior and conduct detrimental to the team following a verbal altercation with coach Keith Smart at halftime of Friday's game. Cousins is not allowed back on the bench for the second half of the game.

All this in a little over two seasons.

He got his first coach (Paul Westphal) fired because management saw the player-coach relationship going down a bad road and sided with the high-priced, talented, young, mercurial player, so they thought getting a younger coach who could relate better to the guy was the way to go. Now he's got his second coach (Keith Smart) saying the same things that got Westphal fired. On the Celtics, this would not be Doc and the veterans mentoring a hard-headed Rondo; it would be Doc suspending him for "conduct detrimental to the team." You want character guys, and he ain't it.

Cousins has never even sniffed the playoffs, so his emotional volatility and immaturity has never been tested in under the heightened conditions of playoff basketball. Given his history, he'd be more likely to have a meltdown and cost the team rather than help them.

Maybe he'll "get it" someday, but I don't think that'll be any day soon. If you are desperate enough to give him a shot, fine, but be aware what you'd be getting into.

Outside wrote:I understand the need for a big, but taking on Cousins would be a huge risk. We've had this discussion before. He's an extremely talented knucklehead who lets emotion and immaturity rule the day on the court. To expect the Celtic team culture to change his ways is unrealistic, and he would most likely frustrate you guys no end if he played here.

From an article I found:

October 2010

• Cousins is fined $5,000 for a verbal altercation with strength and conditioning coach Daniel Shapiro.

December 2010

• Cousins is fined and benched for making a choking sign after Golden State guard Reggie Williams missed a late free throw. The Kings would blow a lead and lose the game in overtime.

February 2011

• Cousins is fined one game check and removed from the team charter flight after a physical altercation with teammate Donte' Greene in the locker room after a loss to Oklahoma City. Cousins was upset Greene didn't pass him the ball late in the game.

January 2012

• Kings coach Paul Westphal sends Cousins home before a game after the coach said the center demanded to be traded for the second time during the season. Cousins said he never asked to be traded.

April 2012

• Cousins is fined $25,000 for publicly criticizing officials. Cousins said L.A. Clippers star Blake Griffin was "babied" by the NBA and officials during games.

• Cousins has to have his 13th technical foul rescinded to avoid a suspension for reaching the league limit during the lockout-shortened season.

November 2012

Cousins leaves the locker room after a loss to San Antonio to confront television analyst Sean Elliott. Cousins is suspended for two games by the NBA for a "hostile" confrontation with Elliott, who Cousins was told had been critical during the telecast.

December 2012

• Cousins is suspended one game for hitting Dallas Mavericks guard O.J. Mayo in the groin. Cousins said the contact was accidental.

• The Kings suspend Cousins indefinitely for unprofessional behavior and conduct detrimental to the team following a verbal altercation with coach Keith Smart at halftime of Friday's game. Cousins is not allowed back on the bench for the second half of the game.

All this in a little over two seasons.

He got his first coach (Paul Westphal) fired because management saw the player-coach relationship going down a bad road and sided with the high-priced, talented, young, mercurial player, so they thought getting a younger coach who could relate better to the guy was the way to go. Now he's got his second coach (Keith Smart) saying the same things that got Westphal fired. On the Celtics, this would not be Doc and the veterans mentoring a hard-headed Rondo; it would be Doc suspending him for "conduct detrimental to the team." You want character guys, and he ain't it.

Cousins has never even sniffed the playoffs, so his emotional volatility and immaturity has never been tested in under the heightened conditions of playoff basketball. Given his history, he'd be more likely to have a meltdown and cost the team rather than help them.

Maybe he'll "get it" someday, but I don't think that'll be any day soon. If you are desperate enough to give him a shot, fine, but be aware what you'd be getting into.

Cousins' problems started in High School, continued in college and haven't subsided in the pros. He has relied upon his size to play his game, but now he's playing with players as big and strong as he is.

Here's a video of Sacto-Dallas. Watch, the replay will highlight it towards the end, of Cousins deliberately hitting OJ Mayo below the belt. Consider that I doubt any team would suspend one of their starters for doing that to an opposing player. What that says to me is that the problem the Kings, who need all the help they can get and then some, with DeMarcus Cousins is beyond that.







This guy makes Bad News Barnes look like a choir boy.



bob


.

To no one in particular:

Here's a recently published article with some interesting perspective on the Cousins situation. By the way, for those eager for a trade, it would obviously have to happen quickly in order to strike when the iron's hot. That would let out trading Bass. Lee for Cousins works financially and right away, but it would leave the Kings short on bigs and overloaded with wings. One intriguing possibility would be Sully, Melo and Collins for Cousins. That works financially and also in terms of immediate timing. That would give the Kings three bigs, including one veteran, one who could be on the verge of becoming a strong rotation player, and one semi-project (he earned the "semi" moniker because of his last night's performance). And, if they would move Thompson over to center, Sully could potentially be considered one possible replacement at PF.

None of these trades is perfect. The only perfect trade situations were (1) Russell for two future hall-of-famers and an Ice Capades date and (2) Joe Barry Carroll for Parish and McHale.

There a several scenarios involving Cousins and various combinations of Celtics players that do work financially, so the trade aficionados can have a field day on NBA Trade Checker.

My own inclination? I'm usually very conservative when there's any potential for monkeying around with Celtics tradition. But, in this case, I have more confidence than Outside does in the ability of three levels of Celtics (Ainge, Doc, players) to harness Cousins' abilities and hold out several carrots: (1) immediate championship potential plus (2) appeal of playing with a coach and experienced teammates who are used to putting one another in positions to succeed plus (3) an opportunity for Cousins to start with a clean slate and enhance his own stature within a healthy, highly motivated organization.

Sam

The article:

Kings royally screwed up between DeMarcus Cousins, Maloofs
Published 1 hour and 34 minutes ago Last updated 59 minutes and 43 seconds ago
David Steele AOL FanHouse Columnist
Follow on Twitter Archive Email RSS

The Sacramento Kings had to suspend DeMarcus Cousins again on Saturday, and after less than 2 1/2 years, it looks as if they would be better off without him.

On the other hand, at age 22 and with a world of unfulfilled potential, Cousins might be better off without the Kings.
Sure, DeMarcus Cousins has issues, but the Maloofs have created Sacramento's toxic environment. (AP Photo)

— Cousins used "extensive profanity"

Only time will tell which ends up being the bigger train wreck. But the fact that it’s even a debate after what Cousins did to get suspended says a lot. So does the fact the Kings' faithful are largely undecided, too.

Cousins has given them a lot to be fed up with. The Maloofs, who have mismanaged the Kings to a scandalous level and are still actively shopping them to other cities, have given them more to be upset with for a longer time.

The Kings, of course, are terrible this year — not Wizards terrible, but Friday’s loss to the Clippers in L.A. left them 8-18. That was the game in which Cousins got into a blistering locker-room argument with coach Keith Smart and was banished for the second half.

The suspension is his third this season but first by the team, albeit at least the fourth disciplinary action the Kings have taken with him. It’s hard to get suspended three times in a 26-game span, and when it happens in one’s third NBA season, the “he needs time to mature” argument gets stale.

Nobody can blame the Kings for running out of patience. You can’t draft 19-year-olds one year out of high school without a healthy reserve of patience, but there are limits. Cousins issued another sincere-sounding apology; he hasn’t figured out how to put actions behind his words. That is, unless you count changing agents the same day you get suspended. That’ll help, sure.

It all raises the question of why Cousins was picked fifth overall in 2010 in the first place, when he was talented enough to go as high as second but immature enough to need to stay in school at least one more year.

Geoff Petrie, as good as it got in NBA front offices when the Kings were chasing the NBA Finals in the early 2000s, has been a shadow of himself lately. His picks have bombed (Jimmer!), his trades have backfired, his roster is weak and the head-coaching job is a revolving door (Smart is the sixth in the last eight seasons).

Cousins, in fact, tangled with Smart’s predecessor, Paul Westphal, in an incident last year that made both of them and the organization look worse off for the encounter. The catalyst: a supposed Cousins trade demand. Westphal said he made it, forcing him to suspend him. The team released a statement supporting Westphal’s side. Cousins insisted he didn’t do it, and to this day it’s questionable that he ever did. One of the co-owners, Joe Maloof, later distanced himself from Westphal’s contention. Westphal ended up getting fired.

Verdict: Cousins was a problem. But he wasn’t the only problem. Neither was Westphal, as time has proven. Neither is Petrie, for that matter.

It starts at the top.

It’s true in the NBA, in all sports, and in all work environments — when management is in disarray and instability is rampant, a character like Cousins can come in and take over. Right now, everything that’s happening in and around the Kings somehow revolves around its most volatile personality.

He’s now a convenient scapegoat for the franchise’s dysfunction. But he’s only the biggest, most visible symptom of it.

Think of the times players like Dennis Rodman, Latrell Sprewell and Ron Artest, for example, were wreaking havoc with teams ... and think of the times they weren’t. Hint: It wasn’t when there were stronger, more authoritative people around and above them.

The kind of madness constantly circulating around Cousins doesn’t happen around a Tim Duncan and a Gregg Popovich, for example.

Smart, committed owners make sure of that. The Maloofs used to be that. Not anymore.

The Cousins affair is ugly, but it’s also coming just weeks after the latest threat to the Kings’ existence in Sacramento was snuffed, when Virginia Beach was denied state funds to build an arena to lure the team there. Kings fans and the city itself are uptight about a lot more than a petulant young star.

At least if Cousins left — even in a lopsided trade with nothing close to fair value in return — he wouldn’t be taking more than a quarter-century of emotional and financial investment with him.

For the good of himself, his career and the team that drafted him, Cousins might have to go. Even with that disappointment, though, Sacramento would rather see the Maloofs go.

They’re the bigger, longer-lasting headache.

sam wrote:To no one in particular:

Here's a recently published article with some interesting perspective on the Cousins situation. By the way, for those eager for a trade, it would obviously have to happen quickly in order to strike when the iron's hot. That would let out trading Bass. Lee for Cousins works financially and right away, but it would leave the Kings short on bigs and overloaded with wings. One intriguing possibility would be Sully, Melo and Collins for Cousins. That works financially and also in terms of immediate timing. That would give the Kings three bigs, including one veteran, one who could be on the verge of becoming a strong rotation player, and one semi-project (he earned the "semi" moniker because of his last night's performance). And, if they would move Thompson over to center, Sully could potentially be considered one possible replacement at PF.

None of these trades is perfect. The only perfect trade situations were (1) Russell for two future hall-of-famers and an Ice Capades date and (2) Joe Barry Carroll for Paris and McHale.

There a several scenarios involving Cousins and various combinations of Celtics players that do work financially, so the trade aficionados can have a field day on NBA Trade Checker.

My own inclination? I'm usually very conservative when there's any potential for monkeying around with Celtics tradition. But, in this case, I have more confidence than Outside does in the ability of three levels of Celtics (Ainge, Doc, players) to harness Cousins' abilities and hold out several carrots: (1) immediate championship potential plus (2) appeal of playing with a coach and experienced teammates who are used to putting one another in positions to succeed plus (3) an opportunity for Cousins to start with a clean slate and enhance his own stature within a healthy, highly motivated organization.

Sam

The article:

Kings royally screwed up between DeMarcus Cousins, Maloofs
Published 1 hour and 34 minutes ago Last updated 59 minutes and 43 seconds ago
David Steele AOL FanHouse Columnist
Follow on Twitter Archive Email RSS

The Sacramento Kings had to suspend DeMarcus Cousins again on Saturday, and after less than 2 1/2 years, it looks as if they would be better off without him.

On the other hand, at age 22 and with a world of unfulfilled potential, Cousins might be better off without the Kings.
Sure, DeMarcus Cousins has issues, but the Maloofs have created Sacramento's toxic environment. (AP Photo)

— Cousins used "extensive profanity"

Only time will tell which ends up being the bigger train wreck. But the fact that it’s even a debate after what Cousins did to get suspended says a lot. So does the fact the Kings' faithful are largely undecided, too.

Cousins has given them a lot to be fed up with. The Maloofs, who have mismanaged the Kings to a scandalous level and are still actively shopping them to other cities, have given them more to be upset with for a longer time.

The Kings, of course, are terrible this year — not Wizards terrible, but Friday’s loss to the Clippers in L.A. left them 8-18. That was the game in which Cousins got into a blistering locker-room argument with coach Keith Smart and was banished for the second half.

The suspension is his third this season but first by the team, albeit at least the fourth disciplinary action the Kings have taken with him. It’s hard to get suspended three times in a 26-game span, and when it happens in one’s third NBA season, the “he needs time to mature” argument gets stale.

Nobody can blame the Kings for running out of patience. You can’t draft 19-year-olds one year out of high school without a healthy reserve of patience, but there are limits. Cousins issued another sincere-sounding apology; he hasn’t figured out how to put actions behind his words. That is, unless you count changing agents the same day you get suspended. That’ll help, sure.

It all raises the question of why Cousins was picked fifth overall in 2010 in the first place, when he was talented enough to go as high as second but immature enough to need to stay in school at least one more year.

Geoff Petrie, as good as it got in NBA front offices when the Kings were chasing the NBA Finals in the early 2000s, has been a shadow of himself lately. His picks have bombed (Jimmer!), his trades have backfired, his roster is weak and the head-coaching job is a revolving door (Smart is the sixth in the last eight seasons).

Cousins, in fact, tangled with Smart’s predecessor, Paul Westphal, in an incident last year that made both of them and the organization look worse off for the encounter. The catalyst: a supposed Cousins trade demand. Westphal said he made it, forcing him to suspend him. The team released a statement supporting Westphal’s side. Cousins insisted he didn’t do it, and to this day it’s questionable that he ever did. One of the co-owners, Joe Maloof, later distanced himself from Westphal’s contention. Westphal ended up getting fired.

Verdict: Cousins was a problem. But he wasn’t the only problem. Neither was Westphal, as time has proven. Neither is Petrie, for that matter.

It starts at the top.

It’s true in the NBA, in all sports, and in all work environments — when management is in disarray and instability is rampant, a character like Cousins can come in and take over. Right now, everything that’s happening in and around the Kings somehow revolves around its most volatile personality.

He’s now a convenient scapegoat for the franchise’s dysfunction. But he’s only the biggest, most visible symptom of it.

Think of the times players like Dennis Rodman, Latrell Sprewell and Ron Artest, for example, were wreaking havoc with teams ... and think of the times they weren’t. Hint: It wasn’t when there were stronger, more authoritative people around and above them.

The kind of madness constantly circulating around Cousins doesn’t happen around a Tim Duncan and a Gregg Popovich, for example.

Smart, committed owners make sure of that. The Maloofs used to be that. Not anymore.

The Cousins affair is ugly, but it’s also coming just weeks after the latest threat to the Kings’ existence in Sacramento was snuffed, when Virginia Beach was denied state funds to build an arena to lure the team there. Kings fans and the city itself are uptight about a lot more than a petulant young star.

At least if Cousins left — even in a lopsided trade with nothing close to fair value in return — he wouldn’t be taking more than a quarter-century of emotional and financial investment with him.

For the good of himself, his career and the team that drafted him, Cousins might have to go. Even with that disappointment, though, Sacramento would rather see the Maloofs go.

They’re the bigger, longer-lasting headache.

sam,

Cousins being suspended for "extensive profanity" with the Kings would make him Kevin Garnett's long-lost love child on the Celtics.


bob


.

To Nobody in Particular Once Again:

I was interested in Cousins' defensive credentials, so I found a Draft Express that has been updated on a "then and now" basis. It sounds as though he has been upgrading a so-so defensive performance to more of a tough defender in the pros. See what you think.

Sam


Draftexpress

DeMarcus Cousins

STRENGTHS:
- Ability to get to free throw line
- Excellent skill-level
- Go-to scoring mentality
- Mid-range game
- Pick and roll play
- Scoring instincts
- Ability to create own shot
- Ability to put ball on floor
- Ability to establish position in post
- Ability to face the basket
- Back to basket scoring
- Excellent hands
- Excellent Touch
- Nimble footwork
- Ability to contest shots
- Defensive Post Presence
- Man to man defense
- Post defense
- Shot-blocking skills
- Assertiveness
- Physical Toughness
- Potential
- High-level productivity
- Ability to finish around basket
- Excellent wingspan
- NBA body
- Size for position
- Rebounding tools
- 3-point range

WEAKNESSES:
- Better suited for half-court offense
- Out of control at times
- Settles for bad shots
- Activity level
- Commitment to playing defense
- Defensive fundamentals
- Gambles defensively
- Lateral quickness
- Body language
- Doesn't always know limitations
- Doesn't always play hard
- Focus
- High bust potential?
- Intelligence
- Maturity
- Mental toughness
- Off-court red flags?
- Questionable intangibles
- Passing out of post
- Average athleticism
- Lacks explosiveness

One of the most divisive prospects in the NBA draft last season, DeMarcus Cousins has had a very rocky start to his NBA career. Playing on one of the worst teams in the league, the #5 pick has undergone a drastic change in environment coming from a Kentucky Wildcats team that was ranked #1 in the nation for a good portion of last season. While Cousins has at times looked outstanding, his game-to-game production and efficiency are massively inconsistent, he's had multiple publicized problems with his coaching staff, and he's one of the most foul-prone big men in the league. Still, it's what he's been doing on the court that is most interesting.

Part One: Offensive Role

Then:

“#1 in PER (actually ranking #1 in the last 8 years in that category), Points per-40 minutes pace adjusted, rebounds per-40p, field goals made and second in free throw attempts, Cousins has answered his many critics by going out and producing in unbelievable fashion.

A man amongst boys at the college level, Cousins' combination of size, length and strength is simply unparalleled at this level of competition. There are only a handful of players that can even match up with him from a physical standpoint, and outside of a couple of ho-hum performances against the strongest big men he's faced (UConn and North Carolina), he's completely destroyed the slew of largely mediocre post players he's been forced to deal with.

Watching him on film, it's not difficult to see why. Cousins can establish position deep in the post pretty much whenever he wants at the college level with his strong frame, huge and extremely soft hands, and incredible wingspan-- making him the perfect target to lob the ball inside the paint to. He's the type of guy who wants the ball in his hands and shows a real hunger to score as much as possible, which is a big part of the reason why he's currently ranked as the #1 per-minute scorer in college basketball.”
-NCAA Weekly Performers, January 29, 2010

Now:

To say Cousins has undergone a dramatic role change in the NBA would be somewhat of an understatement. At the college level, Cousins was a dominant player in a variety of ways, utilizing his massive size, strength, and length to punish the opposition on the glass and finishing around the basket, the primary reason why he was able to be so productive. In the NBA, he's reverted to many of the habits he showed in high school, trying to be more of a finesse player than a dominating post presence.

Looking at Synergy Sports Technology's quantified statistics paints an accurate picture of the story. At the college level, Cousins took just 24 jump shots on the entire season, whereas in the NBA he's already taken 156. As a percentage of all his field goal attempts, Cousins is shooting jumpers four times more frequently in the pros, and it's coming at the expense of post-up moves and shots around the basket. This is problematic not only because shots around the basket are usually much more efficient than mid-range jumpers for all players, but also because Cousins is an extremely poor jump shooter at this stage, scoring an abysmal 0.724 points per shot according to Synergy.

While Cousins' drastic change in shot selection is incredibly harmful to his efficiency, with his eFG% dropping from 56% to 44% this year (the NBA league average is 49.7%), it's equally if not more harmful to other areas of his game. Playing more of a finesse game, moving away from the basket, and taking his man off the dribble more often, Cousins' pace adjusted turnovers per 40 minutes are up from 3.3 to 4.0, and his free-throw attempts and offensive rebounds are nearly cut in half. All things said, Cousins has gone from a player who dominated in a handful of areas at the collegiate level to a player who struggles to be above average at anything in the pros.

Part Two: Interior Offense

Then:

“Once he gets the ball where he wants it, Cousins is more than skilled enough to know what to do with it, showing quick feet, terrific footwork, excellent body control and fantastic touch to finish off plays. Often-times you'll see him creating his own shot by spinning off his man abruptly in impressive fashion, and then just using his terrific length to convert easily at the basket. Although he isn't the most explosive guy you'll find in terms of his ability to play above the rim, this aspect of his game can probably be improved as well (although only to a degree) by shedding the 10-15 pounds of baby fat he's still sporting.”
-NCAA Weekly Performers, January 29, 2010

Now:

Cousins' skill level operating with his back to the basket is still as impressive as ever. He boasts extremely high levels of coordination, mobility, and footwork, a dangerous combination when paired with his physical attributes. His spin moves and dropsteps are more than strong enough to get separation against most NBA defenders, and he's capable of consistently getting off both finesse and power moves when he wants to.

Somewhat expected given his below average explosiveness, Cousins' post scoring efficiency has dropped some in the pros, with his points per shot on post-ups going from 1.06 to 0.85 according to Synergy. While some of the drop was inevitable due to the tougher defense at this level, part of it is his own doing, as Cousins has relied much more on finesse than power moves thus far.

Fighting less actively for post position, and playing with an inferior point guard this season, Cousins is often content to catch the ball in the mid-to-high post rather than backing his man down deep on the block either before or after he gets the ball. His size and strength are almost unmatchable even at this level, and when he's putting in the effort he shows the ability to pin the opposition at will and establish dominant position frequently. Unfortunately too often he simply goes through the motions, settling for a fade-away turnaround jumper rather than attempting a power drop-step move.

Cousins' free throw rate (FTA per FGA) has declined massively from 0.73 to 0.36 this season, and favoring more of a finesse post game is as big a reason as any. While Cousins' finesse repertoire is impressive, and he's capable of scoring on some high difficulty shots, he's much better with his power game, which made him one of the best players in the NCAA last season.

In terms of finishing off the ball around the basket, Cousins has been slightly less utilized on cuts and slightly less productive on the offensive glass, though this is still where the majority of his offense comes. His lack of explosiveness hurts him severely here, but he's still an average finisher in this regard, and his ability to outmuscle anyone in the league to get to the rim allows him to get more attempts in this regard than most other players in the league. Still, he's nowhere near as dominant here as he was in college, and it has as much to do with the higher level of defense as it does with his less efficient style of play.

Icon SMI


Part Three: Perimeter Offense

Then:

“More than just a brute force in the lane, Cousins sports some intriguing perimeter skills as well, showing better ball-handling skills and jump-shooting ability than you would typically expect from a player his size. The problem is that he tends to over-do this aspect of his game from time to time, forcing up bad shots and making a couple of questionable decisions pretty much every game. To his credit, he's gotten much better about this as his freshman season moves along.”
-NCAA Weekly Performers, January 29, 2010

Now:

Going from taking less than one jumper per game at the collegiate level to over three per game in the pros according to Synergy, Cousins has clearly put more of an emphasis on his perimeter game in the pros, though the returns haven't been good. Cousins shows little conscience putting up shots, taking nearly as many guarded as unguarded jumpers on the perimeter, and frequently will throw up a contested 20 footer with plenty of time remaining on the shot clock for no reason at all.

Cousins isn't a bad shooter in terms of pure ability, as he's boasting a respectable 67% from the free-throw line, but his discipline and decision-making in shot selection are just downright awful, especially given the other strengths of his offensive game. The fact that almost all of his shots come from a few feet inside the three-point line doesn't help matters, with those being the least efficient shots in basketball before you factor in his own unique issues.

In terms of face-up offense, Cousins has some very intriguing skills operating out of the pinch post, boasting a solid first step, incredibly long strides with the ball, decent control on his handle, and an array of impressive spin moves in his arsenal. The problem, though, is Cousins tends to over-rely on this area of his game, and it leads to a lot of turnovers. His tendency to settle for fade-away turnaround jumpers rather than going all the way to the basket doesn't help matters much either.

While Cousins has the tools to be respectable both as a spot-up jump shooter and face-up driver, he's doing himself and his team a massive disservice by making these things the centerpiece of his offensive game rather than spending more time around the basket. The drastic decline in his offensive efficiency is due more to this than anything else.

Part Four: Defense and Rebounding

Then:

“Defensively, Cousins is mostly a mixed bag at this point. On one hand he provides an incredible presence in the post with his terrific size, length and bulk, often not needing to do much more than just stand in the paint with his arms outstretched in order to help his team come up with a stop. He's pretty physical on top of that and appears to be putting in a solid effort in for the most part, making it extremely difficult for opposing big men to get shots off over the top of him, and coming up with a solid 3.4 blocks per-40 minutes pace adjusted in turn.


On the other hand, Cousins is not the most fundamentally sound player you'll find, which combined with his below average lateral quickness causes him to get exposed from time to time when being attacked off the dribble by quicker players he's forced to switch onto. He looks a bit lazy and/or not focused getting back on defense sometimes, something that caused him and Kentucky coach John Calipari to butt heads over on occasion early on in the season.”

Now:

Somewhat surprisingly, Cousins has actually been more impressive defensively than offensively thus far in the pros.

While Cousins' fundamentals are still pretty raw in all areas, his coordination, mobility, size, and length make him a pretty unique player at his position, and it's showed up in a variety of ways. Defending the pick-and-roll, for example, despite showing just average levels of activity and focus, Cousins is very impressive in shutting down passing lanes, hedging screens, and contesting jumpers, as he just moves so effortlessly and covers so much ground with his size and wingspan.

In the post, Cousins does a pretty good job defending against power moves despite showing little understanding of leverage and fundamentals, with his brute strength and outstretched arms being good enough to deter most players. He doesn't move his feet especially well laterally, making him prone to being beat by quick spin moves, while he's also vulnerable against the rare center who can take him off the dribble.

In terms of general awareness, rotations, and closing out on shooters, Cousins does an adequate job, giving up on plays and just going through the motions at times, but for the most part at least holding his own in this regard. His lack of explosiveness hurts his ability to block shots from the weak side, however, with him blocking just 0.8 per game despite his size and wingspan.

The biggest problem Cousins is having defensively is in the personal fouls department, as he's averaging 4.0 per game in just 26.5 minutes. Despite his low minutes, his 4.0 per game ranks tops in the entire league, and adjusting to making less careless fouls is something he definitely will need to do in the future.

On the glass, Cousins has gone from an unbelievably dominant college rebounder to a slightly above average rebounder in the pros, with his rebounds per 40 pace adjusted dropping from 15.9 to 11.3, something that rarely happens with rebounding even when accounting for the change in competition level. Like the rest of his game, this is mostly evidence of Cousins playing much softer in the pros and not putting in the effort consistently, as he's capable of ranking amongst the top of the league if he wants to, rather than his meager current ranking of 33rd.

Part Five: Maturity

Then:

“While Cousins is without a doubt a precocious talent with the type of physical tools and scoring instincts that you rarely see at the college level, there are many question marks revolving around whether he has the intangibles needed to reach his extremely high potential. His body language and overall temperament on the floor is often very poor, looking somewhat lazy and disinterested and at times downright selfish. He's clearly not the smartest guy you'll find on or off the court, and he already tends to react very poorly to different situations on the floor and lose his temper in concerning fashion.

A few articles have already been written about his extremely unpredictable nature and whether that might come back to haunt Kentucky at some point in a big game, and these same concerns may give NBA executives room for pause when thinking about drafting him extremely high in the lottery and making him the face of their franchise.”

Now:

Cousins' maturity issues are certainly not yet behind him, as there have been multiple publicized reports of him quarreling with coaches this season, much more so than was reported at Kentucky. His body language on the floor is frequently poor and the softening of his offensive game combined with his decreased effort with physicality and attacking the glass are more evidence of the problems many suspected.

Cousins' game-to-game performance is also extremely erratic. It's common for him to score in the high 20's one game followed by the low single digits the next, as it's completely unexpected what you'll get from him on a nightly basis.

Sacramento's somewhat weak coaching staff and overall organizational structure, combined with the poor talent level on the team certainly don't help matters. Going from one of the top programs in college basketball to one of the worst teams in the NBA has to be discouraging for a player, but ultimately this is on Cousins' shoulders more than anyone. He hasn't had any major off-the-court issues in a while now, but his unpredictable nature and overall reputation means these things will always be somewhat of a concern.

Outlook:

Looking forward, Cousins remains one of the most enigmatic prospects in basketball even now that he's in the NBA. On one hand, he has extremely strong physical attributes and is capable of being one of the most uniquely dominant centers in the NBA, something that does show up every few games. On the other, he's basically done everything every doubter from the draft process expected him to do, and he has been one of the most inefficient, turnover prone players on one of the worst teams in the league.

There's still plenty of time for Cousins to turn things around at just 20 years old, and while it may be unfair to put such high expectations on a player this young, it's somewhat deserving given where he was taken in the draft combined with how productive a player he was at the collegiate level.

Unlike many prospects who fail transitioning to the NBA, Cousins' issues aren't due to his skills not translating, but more so of him abandoning everything that made him a great prospect and collegiate player in order to try being a completely different type of player.

While Cousins may significantly improve his perimeter and finesse offensive games in his time in the NBA, it's unlikely he'd be as successful as if he went back to what made him a great prospect in the first place. Fortunately, he still has plenty of time to do so.

It's possible that with added maturity and an organization and coaching staff more competent of getting him to play to his potential, the light bulb will eventually come on for Cousins.

Situational Statistics: This Year’s Center Crop
June 16, 2010
DeMarcus Cousins does not look incredibly impressive on first glance from a situational perspective, but has some extremely interesting attributes about him and fares pretty well against his peers in the top-ten. His ranks are skewed by lower usage players from smaller conferences in the lower part of our rankings.

Cousins ranks well above average in terms of usage at 14.3 possessions per-game, despite playing only 23 minutes per game, and his 0.99 PPP ranks him right around the average for his position. Cousins does stand out in how small of a proportion of his possessions he turned the ball over (13.4%) and how frequently he drew free throws (22.9%, 3rd). Clearly, his ability to use his body allowed him to clear out space and create contact underneath. He also runs the floor extremely well, getting out in transition (10.8% of his possessions) more than any other center except for Mac Koshwal.

In post up situations, Cousins ranked right around average with his 49.6% shooting, but he ranked third in drawing fouls, doing so on an impressive 26% of his back to the basket opportunities. Though Cousins proved capable of creating his own shot, he was at his best when crashing the glass. He created 3.2 possessions per-game for himself rebounding his teammates’ missed shots.

One area that Cousins’ does not stand out in is as a finisher. His 1.165 points per-shot rank third last on our list, hinting at the average explosiveness he possesses around the basket.

To his credit, he ranks near the bottom in the amount of pick and roll plays he was put in, an area of his game which should become his bread and butter in the NBA thanks to his terrific length, girth, hands and touch. Although he only took .6 jump-shots per game according to Synergy, Cousins shot a solid 1.083 PPP on them (3rd after Solomon Alabi and Tibor Pleiss), which hints at good things to come in this area in the future. On another team he probably would have gotten a lot more than just 5 possessions per game in the post, especially considering that he draws a foul on over 1/4th of those possessions.

It will be interesting to see how a different system allows Cousins to utilize his tools down low next season. Despite his terrific per-minute productivity, Cousins is still only 19 years old and has plenty of room to continue to grow as a prospect, especially if he’s willing to put the work in.

Analyzing the NBA Combine Measurements
May 22, 2010
DeMarcus Cousins' measurements are phenomenal. He stands 6-9 ½ without shoes, with a gigantic 7-5 ¾ wingspan and a standing reach of 9-5. He's a physical specimen at the center position, with measurements similar to that of Brook Lopez (just much bulkier), and superior to those of Dwight Howard (who was 18 at the time he was measured and could have very well grown since), Greg Oden and Al Jefferson.

The only concern is his high body fat percentage of 16.3%, which ranks as the 12th-highest figure of any player in our database. By comparison, Mike Sweetney came in at 14.1% and Shaquille O'Neal 12.2%. What's alarming here is that Cousins is considered to be in the best shape of his life at the moment. Both he and his agent are making a big deal of the fact that he's been eating as healthy (“seafood and salad diet”) and working out as intensely as he ever has. NBA teams are worried about Cousins resting on his laurels once he's been drafted and signs a contract. This measurement won't ease any of those concerns.

A very talented big that could give us the post presence we desperately need? Yes.

An incredibly immature individual whose self-centered approach seems to be deeply ingrained? Yes.

Too high of a risk. Our coaches and vets aren't miracle workers and we could be stuck with him for some time.

We also already have a player with a weight problem that could resurface in Sullinger.

Pass.

With a price tag of 4 million its a no-brainer.
swish

Maloof Brother (their sister is one of the Beverly Hills Housewives - the one married to the doctor) who own the team are a bunch of Chuckle Heads......who are slowly killing the spirit and moral of the Sacramento Kings. They go to Va. Beach, they go to Seattle....trying to shop for a new arena. They are having financial problems with the team and their Casino in LV.

Put this together........ this could be an opportunity to acquire Cousins at a reduced rate. Their record is 8 - 18. They are not going anywhere with this team....nor their brand.......and their brand is being tarnished with Cousins.

Team Salary - 2012 - 2013
$58 + million

DeMarcus Cousins - (age 22) 6' 11" Forward/C

Points - 16.6
Rebounds - 9.5
Assists - 2.1
FG% - 41.4%

Compensation
2012 - 2013 - $3,880,800
2013 - 2014 - $4,916,974
2014 - 2015 - $6,519,907 Q

Another player talked (NBA News Sites) about being odd man out is Tyreke Evans

Tyreke Evans (age 24) 6'6" combo guard/small forward

Points - 15.1
Rebounds - 4.8 3.3
Assists - 3.3
FG% - 45.3%

Compensation
2012 - 2013 - $5,251,825
2013 - 2014 - $6,927,157 Q

112288

No brainer Danny. Sign him.

Sam, I can tell Springtime is just around the corner when you start writing that Joe Barry Carroll got traded for Paris!

W,

Oops! I was actually talking about Harry Versailles.

Sam

"Front office sources", whoever that is, says that Detroit and Boston have made it clear they would be interested in Cousins if he becomes available.


bob



.

Sources: Kings' Owners Reluctant To Deal Cousins
Dec 29, 2012 2:27 AM EST

Despite DeMarcus Cousins' recent suspension handed out by the Sacramento Kings, co-owners Gavin and Joe Maloof are still reluctant to trade the young big man, according to sources.

Among potential suitors, there is a growing belief that GM Geoff Petrie would be willing to part ways with Cousins in exchange for a quality veteran player or two who could bring instant improvement.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sources: Celtics, Pistons Extremely Interested In Cousins
Dec 29, 2012 2:31 AM EST


The Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons are two teams that have made it clear they are highly interested in DeMarcus Cousins if and when he becomes available, according to front office sources.

Still, Cousins assuredly has plenty more teams interested in acquiring him from the Sacramento Kings.

Via Marc Stein/ESPN

112288

Report: Maloofs reluctant to trade Cousins; Celtics among teams interested
Kurt Helin Dec 29, 2012, 9:31 AM EST
BLEACHER REPORT

Ever since the Kings organization suspended DeMarcus Cousins — for fighting with Keith Smart, the coach hired because it was thought he had a good relationship with the young big man — other teams have started poking around to see if the Kings are willing to trade Cousins.

Among the teams very interested are the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons, reports Marc Stein at ESPN.

But so far, the Kings are not willing to make a move and those orders come from the very top of the organization, Stein reports. No, not George Maloof, the other two.

The early word from the DeMarcus Cousins trade watch, according to the latest rumbles on the personnel grapevine, is that Kings co-owners Gavin and Joe Maloof remain reluctant in the extreme to part with their young big man, especially at a time when — after three suspensions already this season — Cousins’ trade value isn’t exactly on the upswing.

There’s a growing sense among potential suitors that under-fire Kings general manager Geoff Petrie, who has overseen zero trips to the playoffs under five coaches in the six-plus seasons since Rick Adelman left town, would be willing to move Cousins, preferably in exchange for a dependable veteran of quality or two who could bring some instant improvement to a franchise stuck in lottery land and still plagued by an uncertain future in terms of where this team will be calling home in the long term….

Front-office sources say that Boston and Detroit, just to name two teams, have let it be known that they are highly interested if and when Cousins does become available. Rest assured there will be more.

It takes a lot for me to say this, but the Maloofs are right. They shouldn’t trade him.

Moving Cousins for a veteran sounds like Petrie seeing his job in potential danger (who knows with this ownership) and looking to get wins in the short term at the sake of the smart long-term move.

At the end of the day talent wins in this league and Cousins has tons of it. He’s just starting to realize that talent (and shouldn’t be taking one more shot a game from beyond 16 feet than he did last season — get back closer to the rim). No doubt his unfiltered ego and passion can make him hard to deal with, but he’s too good to just give up on. What the Kings need is a stabilizing influence in the organization and the locker room to try and bring him around. Problem is, with the Maloofs ownership looking to move the team if they can find a way out of Sacramento (or eventually selling the team) it’s hard to expect stabilization from anywhere. Smart seemed to provide it for Cousins, but Smart’s rotations have led to a lot of head scratching in the locker room.

Then there is Cousins’ new agent Dan Fegan, who could try to push Cousins out of Sacramento (and who doesn’t have a good history with Petrie). The situation has the potential to get ugly and force the Kings hand.

I can see why the Celtics want him — they have the kind of locker room that can keep Cousins in check, and if you pair Cousins and Rajon Rondo you are seriously competitive for the next five years at least.

Detroit… they already have Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond. Cousins should be better than either of them but maybe they think they can make a swap of young bigs. Still, bigs is not the Pistons area of most need.

If Cousins does go on the block, about 29 teams will call. But the Maloofs are right here to hold on to him for now.

112288

Sacto's problem is that Cousins is only making $3.9M this year. What kind of a player(s) could they get for that? There's almost no way they could get value for him.

Who would/could we trade for Cousins and get within 25% of $3.9M?

bob


.

Problem for Maloof's (ownership) is they are losing money with the Kings and have dropped a ton (hundreds of millions of $$) in their failed casino operation in Vegas.

That being said, do they wait another year at an attractive salary with Cousins, or do they acquire some younger prospects that will keep the salary costs down?

There is no way they will keep Cousins a King come 2 years - first because Cousins wants out of there.....second, they could never afford him in two years.

Better to acquire young talent and cheaper talent then to loose everything in 2 years. They will never get anything close to Cousins talent if they decide next year to trade him at the trading deadline. Why when a team could wait and get him as a free agent.

112288

Bass?

Cousins started last night, played 31 minutes, scored 15 and grabbed 10 boards.

He says he wants to stay.

The Kings say they want him to stay.

He's not going anywhere, and he's such a head case I don't know that we would want him.

I've read opinions in various places that KG would straighten him out, and I think it's time to end the silly mystique that KG will ever straighten anyone out. He's never done it in the past, unless you count bringing tears to the eyes of Glen Davis. Last I knew he hadn't turned psychologist. If you look at his history he gladly helps those who seek him out with their game, but he leaves the rest alone. There is also nothing to suggest that KG could, or would even want to, try and turn around the attitude and life path of what appears to be a very troubled young man.

We don't need Vin Baker minus the happy hour. Been there, done that.

Pass.

Worcester,

Bass could be odd man out as his game has stopped evolving. I was impressed in the first several games with him faking a shot, putting the ball on the floor and taking it to the rim. Suddenly he stopped doing it, and he's got to a point that he has a clear shot and he hesitates thus loosing that split second spacing to get off his shot and ends up passing. It is almost like a golfer unable to pull the trigger and swing or putt. Sergio Garcia had that problem 4 years ago. Bass is undersized at power forward so in my opinion he would have to possess some extra skills besides his jump shot which has not been consistent which I cannot find. He hustles but that is what you expect from any of your ball players, and his defense is not there as well.

NY,

I know Baby thanked Doc and KG in making him a better ball player, however he did not possess a swagger or mean streak that Cousins possesses so what Doc and KG dished out sunk into Baby's brain for the good. Not sure with Cousins. However, he is 2 years away from a big payday if he improves his attitude so he may just settle down and play for the big day. He is a hell of a presence.

112288

Watching games on NBA TV and they mentioned the Celtics interest in Cousins.

He's a hot head and I can just see him clashing with KG when KG critiques his play.

Are we able to absorb a volatile personality like Cousins? He has talent but that does not by itself win basketball games.

We need another big but not necessarily a starting big.

I say no on Cousins. He has a really bad attitude/ego problem.

dboss