It’s looking more and more likely that the Sacramento Kings will trade DeMarcus Cousins. Here’s why an audacious move to the Philadelphia 76ers could happen.
Neither the Sacramento Kings nor Philadelphia 76ers are very good right now. However, each team feels differently about the position they’re currently in.
For the 76ers, it’s all about the process. They’re 7-20 right now and finally look like they’re going to be relevant in a few years.
For the Kings, despite their 10-17 record, it’s more of the same old missteps for them. Still outside the playoff bubble, still not much to cheer about and still the same issues around DeMarcus Cousins.
He’s their best player by a mile, but it’s getting to the point now where the team has to think about moving him or risk losing him for nothing in 2018.
There are arguments to be made as to why a wide range of teams could trade for Boogie, however the 76ers are one such team you would not put in that conversation.
December 30, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings forward DeMarcus Cousins (15, right) fouls Philadelphia 76ers forward Nerlens Noel (4) during the fourth quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The 76ers defeated the Kings 110-105. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
It doesn’t look like each team has much to offer one another in a way that would make any deal between the two fair.
In actual fact though, that may be the unique selling point that leads to the two teams doing business with one another. Here’s how:
Why The Sacramento Kings Should Think About It
Cousins is one of the best players in the league (Player Efficiency Rating of 26.7 is the seventh-highest mark in the NBA) so any trade involving him would likely not favor the Kings.
The closer it gets to his impending unrestricted free agency, the more his value will decrease.
It also doesn’t make sense (if possible) for the Kings to turn a solid team into a contender by gifting them Cousins.
Talk of a move to the Boston Celtics makes sense for a variety of reasons, including moving him out East.
Curious on the divide, since he's such a polarizing figure: Retweet if you want #Celtics to trade for DeMarcus Cousins. "Like" if you don't.
— Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) December 12, 2016
But it would be turning the Celtics into the second-best team in that conference, not something they’d likely be comfortable with.
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They’d want to try and accelerate their inevitable rebuild also, and so would need a young player to do this.
Enter the Philadelphia 76ers.
If Boogie was traded there, it’s not likely he’d want to stay, or so you’d think. But it’s also true that the 76ers have their own disgruntled player in Nerlens Noel.
The Kings could do worse than trade Cousins for Noel, one of their guards (Sergio Rodriguez is having a nice season) and a couple of picks (is a first-rounder too much to ask?).
The Kings could even inquire about Dario Saric, although they have plenty of big men themselves.
That would be a nice place to start a rebuild and the Kings could get more guard-centric by moving Willie Cauley-Stein elsewhere in exchange for a guard.
It would be an overhaul of the team, but some combination of Noel, Rodriguez/Saric, a first-rounder and whatever guard they could get for Cauley-Stein would soften the blow somewhat.
They’d lose a ton of games and their recent history in drafting players doesn’t inspire confidence.
But they can look to the Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz for inspiration on how to handle a situation like this.
Both teams got a ton of assets back for Carmelo Anthony and Deron Williams respectively, meaning neither of them ever had to totally bottom out.
These days both organizations have reason for optimism (especially the Jazz), while Anthony and Williams never went on to have any real postseason success.
The 76ers have about as much assets as anybody else, so trading Cousins to that team is as good a place to send him as anywhere else.
Why The Philadelphia 76ers Should Think About It
Obviously the 76ers would jump at the opportunity to move Noel in order to get an All-Star level talent in Cousins.
They’d have to think about moving Jahlil Okafor on as well if necessary, as the pairing of Joel Embiid and Cousins is too good to even think about.
The main stumbling block for them of course is the fact that Cousins becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2018.
The way the 76ers look now, he’d be nothing more than an expensive rental as he’d want to get out of there as soon as possible.
Or would he?
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Cousins is used to playing for a dysfunctional organization, and while the 76ers are bad right now, they do at least have a clear vision of where they want to be.
They would also appear to have the young players to back it up, at least on paper. If you’re being offered the chance to be the face of a franchise (and be paid accordingly) that has a lot of young talent, don’t you think about that?
Both parties could win if Cousins signed a two year deal (with a player option, ensuring he can hit the escape button if he doesn’t like what he sees) as it would give the 76ers more time to prove they mean business with him.
Even better, think of what it would mean to potential free agents. If the 76ers look intriguing at best now, imagine what they’d look like with a team featuring Cousins, Embiid, Simmons and Saric.
This run would also coincide with LeBron James regressing as a player (he’ll be 34 when Cousins hits free agency), and the Eastern conference will be ripe for a new team to take hold.
The Philadelphia 76ers could be that team, and through the points outlined above, it’s not as crazy as it seems.
Are we clutching at straws here? Yes, but in truth most teams are when we talk about who could trade for DeMarcus Cousins.
The 76ers at least have the young talent to offer in return for Cousins, as well as the flexibility to mould their team around his talents. But is it something that could actually happen?
