DeMarcus Cousins receives 'substantial fine' from Kings for confrontations with reporters
The Sacramento Kings punished All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins on Tuesday for his multiple incidents with reporters. The team did not specify the punishment, saying Cousins received a “substantial fine”.
“The Kings have a clear set of standards of conduct expected of our entire organization,” the team said in a statement, via USA Today. “As a result of negative interactions with certain members of the media that were not corrected after verbal warnings, we have decided to impose a substantial fine. If this behavior is repeated again, we will be forced to consider further discipline.”
Cousins confronted Sacramento Bee columnist Andy Furillo in the locker room earlier this month after Furillo wrote a column about a New York nightclub fight that involved Cousins and Kings forward Matt Barnes. Cousins was upset because Furillo mentioned Cousins' brother Jaleel, an NBA Development League Player who was arrested after his involvement in a fight at a Tampa, Fla., bar in May.
Cousins, who was not involved in the altercation in May, confronted Furillo after the Kings’ game against the Lakers on Dec. 12.
“We’re going to have some real (expletive) issues,” Cousins told Furillo as he points in the reporter’s face. “Don’t ever mention my brother again.”
According to USA Today, there has been one more incident involving Cousins and a different Sacramento Bee reporter this season. But that altercation did not draw media attention.
Cousins apologized for his "inexcusable" actions in a statement.
https://twitter.com/JeffZillgitt/status/811334856135340032
Cousins, who is signed through the 2017-18 season, has been the subject of trade rumors. He’s averaging 28.3 points and 10.7 rebounds this season.
