HANG TIME CALIFORNIA BUREAU — In a strange moment even by the standards of their relationship that has tested the limits of patience, the Kings announced Sunday that problem-child DeMarcus Cousins was suspended for that night’s game against the Hornets and that Cousins has “demanded” to be traded.
It is not known whether the second-year center was suspended without pay or told to stay away in the latest attempt to impose discipline on a prospect so lacking in structure. It is also not known for certain whether Cousins actually demanded, asked, hinted or used a Ouija board to ask for a trade – his agent, John Grieg, denied there was any such request, according to Sam Amick of SportsIllustrated.com, and said “Maybe Westphal is just feeling the heat early this season.”
Whatever the impetus of the latest breakdown, a lot of front offices around the league are knowingly nodding their heads. Cousins was the second-best talent in the 2010 draft, at worst, and maybe equal or ahead of No. 1 pick John Wall, but went fifth to Sacramento because of issues that ranged from attitude to inability to always play hard. Cousins had the talent to reach the All-Star game but the personality and approach to get some GM fired.
The Kings took the risk with the understanding a lot of patience would be required, then got exactly the rookie season and opening weeks to the second campaign that should have been expected: Cousins had some good moments that were countered by a level of immaturity that could make him one of the great underachievers.
As recently as Thursday, coach Paul Westphal was working to emphasize the positives of Cousins’ supposed growth, but it was all in the perspective of 2010-11. While Westphal backed Cousins, the comments to NBA.com were, tellingly, how Cousins was doing better than last season, not doing well, period. Conditioning was still an issue at the start of the new campaign. The temper was still an issue.
The spinning disappeared Sunday, when the Kings released a statement that for some reason came with Westphal’s name attached, not from Geoff Petrie, the head of basketball operations, or owners Joe or Gavin Maloof.
“Whenever a new season begins, in any sport, there is great hope that everything will progress in only a steady, upward direction,” the statement said. “As we all know, it seldom happens like that in this life!
“As coaches, we can only ask that our players do everything they can to improve themselves as individuals and teammates. If they do this with all their hearts, we live with the results.
“Everything that happens on a team does not become known to the public. This is how it should be. However, when a player continually, aggressively, lets it be known that he is unwilling/unable to embrace traveling in the same direction as his team, it cannot be ignored indefinitely.
“DeMarcus Cousins has demanded to be traded. In the best interest of our team as we go forward, he has been directed by me, with the support of management, to stay home from the New Orleans game tonight.”
An exclamation point and everything.
It should always be understood that “Everything that happens on a team does not become known to the public,” but in this case it is the Kings wanting everyone to know there were a lot more issues with Cousins beyond whether he was in proper shape for the start of camp or able to control his frustration level. Even for an organization that has done well to not coddle Cousins, this was a unique amount of candor.
By tipoff Sunday night against the Hornets, it was impossible to know whether the Kings would try to trade Cousins, something they never came close to doing in the past while preaching patience, or whether this would become the latest moment for both sides to get past.
bring that boy to CHICAGO !love my bulls cousins wud be a great tough and physical addition wit d rose!
The kings are not a good fit for Cousins! He played so well with John Wall in last years Allstar rookie soph game maybe the Wizards should trade for him/ Wall and Cousins play well together / wizards are awful/ I feel sorry for Wall!!
Cousins is a big baby. Send him back to his mom, and don’t let him return to the NBA till he grows up.
He’ll probably end up in Boston, Dallas or D-league.
I would trade him to Porland for Oden though. One lacks knees the othe one lacks brain. Good fit.
if boston took him they will be back in that top threat situation
Cousins is nothing short of a disgrace to his teammates, the Kings organisation, his family and to Kings fans. Although he has some way to go before he can be used in the same breath as Jamarcus Russell, he is certainly on that path. He needs to grow up and realise that he is blessed to be an NBA player and that there are many other players out there who would do anything to be given such a wonderful career. I have absolutely no faith that he will change his ways for the better. Immaturity is one thing, but showing no desire to listen and even attempt to grow up is very disappointing.
If he does get traded there are only a handful of teams that could make life with him work. KG, Pierce and Allen in Boston, Kobe in Lakers, Duncan with Spurs… I’m scratching my head after that! He is nothing short of a distraction who would surely be detrimental to that team’s championship hopes. Get him out of the NBA and start a TV show with Jamarcus Russell until he shows any desire to change his ways.
Cousins is in a small Market getting no attention… who wants to be the biggest name in Sacramento… noone on the Kings has a asneaker deal or national TV commercial! HE wants to play in a big Market LA NY Miami… Once he gets there he will calm down, he wants to be an issue so they will trade him without delay to et rid of the headache… It doesn’t mattereither way, once his rookie contract is up he’ll leave regardless for a larger market, then the Kings will have nothing for him. Their best alternative is to trade him now while he’s racking up points and rebounds and try to cash in on him now. Send him to Miami for Joel Anthony and someone else. You get a decent hardworking big man and a you can get a shooter like James Jones. Cousins will go somewhere, where he wants to be, and he won’t have behavior issues because he wouldn’t want to be traded or released from a contending team like The Heat! Everyone wins… You’re welcome!
cousins for wade
It is just a risk the Kings knowingly took last year
at the NBA Draft when they selected Demarcus
with the fifth pick in the NBA Draft.Good luck
to the player involved i hope he has a nice career
in the NBA.I also doubt any team is willing to
trade a bunch for him.
no way…. don’t bring a basket case to my mavs… he should be dealt in the d-league… we keep odom
Please go to phoenix and follow stoudemire carrier with steve nash. Phoenix get him PLEASE…
trade him for gortat
now that’s immature!! i pity you..
He would a perfect fit in Boston and would make them legit contenders again! That would be so awesome. Danny Ainge, make it happen captn!
Get him tho the Heat.
trade him for wade
TRADE HIM TO MY WIZARDS FOR ANDRAY BLATCHE. BLATCHE ISNT HAPPY HERE AND COUSINS ISNT HAPP THERE. LET HIM TEAM BACK UP WITH JOHN WALL.
Even though I feel Cousins wants to be in a major market, I think this is a good idea also… I think he would like to be with Wall (Pause). They have Chemistry and they will feel like they can rock out together! There’ll be a whole lotta chucking going on between them and nobody else would get the ball, but eff it!!!
BOSTON needs a New BIG BABY!! If KG can’t beat him up maybe KG can make him CRY.
Dont you have to be good to demand a trade?? LOL!!!! This kid is a joke. Just release the kid. He has a bad attitude, out of shape, and he sucks.
2 problems in SAC, First, Cousins is not matured enough at his age, alot of ego and has an attitude problem. the second is, Coach Paul Westphal also has an attitude problem, does not know how to get along with his players, he suck and does not know how to be a coach to younger players. if i am the owner i will fire Westphal, he doesnt fit coaching bunch of younger players and a team that is rebuilding.
2 problems i SAC, First, Cousins is not matured enough at his age, alot of ego and has an attitude problem. the second is, Coach Paul Westphal also has an attitude problem, does not know how to get along with his players, he suck and does not know how to be a coach to younger players. if i am the owner i will fire Westphal, he doesnt fit coaching bunch of younger players and a team that is rebuilding.
2 problems i SAC, First, Cousins is not matured enough at his age, alot of ego and has an attitude problem. the second is, Coach Paul Westphal also has an attitude problem, doesnt know how to get along with his players, he suck and does know how to be a coach to younger players. if i am the owner i will fire Westphal, he doesnt fit coaching bunch of younger players and a team that is rebuilding.
Where MBENGA when you need him?
Immature! He should be lucky, he has a job wherein millions of players dreams to play in the NBA & now his wasting all the opportunity & blessings given to him.
Trade Cousins to Washington for Blatche, both are behaving like girls but, changing coaches and teams is never a bad thing when its this bad… plus Cousins will reunite with John Wall, perfect scenario
I mean is anyone really surprised by this? This guy is the poster child, and I stress CHILD, for what is wrong with professional sports, especially the NBA. You have some young, uneducated kid who thinks he’s the man because he was drafted in the top 5. In reality, he isn’t in the top 15 at his position, and clearly he is a potential cancer for any team dumb enough to trade for him. Best of luck DeMarcus, you idiot.
henshould go to dallas! they have a lot of veterans that would correct his actions! and dallas needs young talent!
trade him to pistons, let him play with ben wallace… to let him know who is the real toough guy….
COME TO MIAMI! :-)
trade him he will not change! Arenas, A.I, Nate etc…………….learn from history
Maybe they should trade him to a team in need of a big man like the Clippers. He can play off the bench and have Chauncey mentor him. And have Blake help with conditioning. The Kings can get a pit bull puppy in return. #samething
yeah pitbull puppy like jordan or griffin
mavs is a nice fit no center haywood is a trash
yeah trade him for dirk
is all about how much crap is your coach willing to take. If this was Phil Jackson everything would be cool. He would just laugh on the bench and go with it as long as he keeps playing. He had Ron Artest and Dennis Rodman and was able to coach both of them pritty well. So yeah DeMarcus is a big child but in the end I think is up to the coach to make it all look ok.,,,but if he’s not able to do so,then the only option is to trade him because he is not that important to the Kings although he could be in the future
send him to china!….he will be dominating there…lol!
well, he’s just a child. With this attitude, he’s going anywhere and he can only lose of this situation. It’s very sad, because Cousins has a tremendous potential but he doesn’t make advantage of it. If I were the kings, I ‘d try to trade him with someone of (almost) equal value and age, as Greg Monroe for example. Of course, Cousins probably wants a team where we would be the only star (pistons is a case, bobcats is another one), so his trade value (given the issues above) would be really small. Kings is a young, great team and I like them, but it’s a pitty someone like Demarcus is able to ruin the whole project.
On the other hand, westphal really sucks and maybe it’s the right time to fire him. evans and cousins are potentially stars (maybe hickson, too) and fredette with thompson, thornton, salmons, hayes are great role players. Again, the project is awesome, i hope demarcus won’t ruin it.
trade him 2 Orlando!!!
yeah trade him, hayes and garcia to orlando for howard
Cousins you’re playing in a ProSports…. Act like one…. Maybe there’s a flaw at coaching staff, but it is what it is… you’re lucky because a lot of big men want to be in your shoes…. ex. Antoine Walker….. got attitude problems like you… Loves to gamble his money .and before he realize all of his money are gone……. Now he’s struggling to keep up on D-League…. the only differences between them was Antoine Got a ring…. Cousins has a lot to prove…. don’t think so highly on your self…. you’re not there yet…. Don’t try to be like Shaq,ask trade for heat from lakers, or Lebron James choosing Miami rather than staying in CAVS…. Because they did everything they can on their team before choosing new one… And they are proven all stars…. Now tell me what have you achieved???
COME TO MIAMI =)
Send Cousins, to Detroit, he’ll fit nicely there. Pistons need a big man and Kings need a great wingman which Pistons have surplus (Prince, Daye, Jerebko, Villanueva). It would be fair to both parties.
The person that needs to be blamed here is the coach. Bad Players = Bad Coaching.
Your an idiot.
Everyone is all upset with Cousins, but look at both sides. The Maloofs are refusing to put in money to help the kings win. I’ve been a kings season ticket holder for years, and it is obvious that the owners quit caring a long time ago. They don’t invest, they don’t show up to the games, and they don’t bring in the right pieces to win. They brought in Cousins last year, knowing he had maturity issues, and made him the center of attention with no veteran to help guide him. Did they really expect any different. Maybe Cousins would be happy in Sacramento if the owners showed they were committed to winning and the coach would actually effectively guide the team in a good direction. The front office is pathetic in the city of Sacramento
I dunno what your talking about, the owners are at every game, at least one of them (i forget if its joe or gavin).
Give him to boston. he’ll learn alot form KG. trade him to boston for JOneal and someone elses
Trade him to us here in DC..we need to get rid of Blatche and maybe Cousins would be more comfortable on a team with his best bud (John Wall)
get rid of blatche, yes, but not for cousins. that’s the same problem. it might have been a good fit if arenas still had his gun locker running, but…
Come to LA son…I’ll teach you maturity and how to cool things down..
I will love see he in okc!
demarcus cousins is a great athlete w/ a lot of upside but the problem is the kid cant seem to get rid of his “PROJECT” ways even if he’s now in NBA. grow up kid you’re now in the big league, you’re no longer in the”projects,ghetto or slums” where you grew up. you need to be thankful for the team who took a chance on you because if you dont it might not even take 5 yrs before you’re out of the league like hje other so called forgotten ones…when you wake up you may find yourself with no food on the table, no money to spend & no carrer whatsoever to think about…sometimes its really hard to get rid of the “PROJECTS” attitude someone has even if he’s already earning millions. you just cant cover “GARBAGE” WITH GOLD as they say!! so demarcus…think kid….think really hard…thats if you have the brain to use…..to think things over…peace out!!!
if he plays for the nets and he shows this kind of attitude, he will end up in the d-league just like terrence williams and then he will be traded and just get less than 20 minutes a game. dennis rodman is way better than you kid, you should make him your role model.
he will end up in the d league and not to improve on his playing ability, but rather his attitude and ethics. i bet cousins goes to the bobcats or wizards. that way he is in the east coast and far away from sacramento so that the kings staff will only see him once or maybe only twice in a season after the deal.
who wants to bet? Sure, he got game but I bet he’ll be out of the league in 6 years. nba is a business owners don’t like to deal with head/nutcase. Any remember Chris Washburn? Vernon Maxwell? Sprewell? Steve Francis?
Trade him to the mavs …
Just put his arrogant self in the D-League for a year and he’ll learn.
Cousins not playing has just cost me to loose my first nba fantasy game.
send that ********** to boston KG would teach him what is to be done
He’s gonna end up in phoenix….its the perfect fit.
Who really wanna sign a crybaby like that?
His is the kinda players thats make me turn more and more to Euroleauge
Hahahahaha. Really Cousins? What have you done in the NBA that gives you the right to demand anything? Why don’t you actually become a star first.
Exactly. What a spoilt little (big?) bitch. Hoenslty, so lucky and acting like Mariah Carey.
Send Him to SPURS! He must learn fundamental things about playing men’s game!
houston needs you.
YAY! Another Vince Carter! A big talent with no work ethic that’s gonna screw over his first team and when he gets old he despratly tries to get on teams that will win him a ring. He’ll look like a joke and we’ll all shake our heads looking at what he could’ve become.
I want Demarcus Cousins to play in sacramento.
this guy is the biggest punk. absolute disgrace to all the players who work hard but dont get the opportunity he has, he deserves to fail and will. why any team would draft a person like this is beyond me, i feel sorry for the team he ends up on if he does that is.
haven’t proven anything yet and yet demanding a trade, should know how to love the game rather than just an excuse to get out…
come to indiana…and fight for the battle of position against hibbert and west…if you think your good enough then come to indy…
This guy is a good talent, I’ve seen him play live before. But he needs to learn patience. Are the Kings good? No. But that’s no reason to whine or complain. The article mentions Cousins’ buddy John Wall to. Wall’s team the Wizards are probably just as bad as the Kings, yet you don’t see Wall complaining. Cousins’ should have the same mentaility. No your not on a good team but whining and complaining is going to make the team worse. If you want good players on your team then BE a good player on your team. and he can do it to he has potential. he just needs to settle down.
David Stern should intervene. To be honest, I think he should be suspended without pay….for a whole season. Being in the Nba is a privaledge, not a right. Cousins is a problem child, suspend him, let him do like Delonte West and get a job at Home Depot. Maybe then he will flip on a worker for not putting the tools in the right place or something….What a joker.
Its a shame because he seems like a good kid, just immature.
The Miami Heat welcomes you, DeMarcus Cousins, with open arms.
1st game without cousins..= WIN
Send him back to where he belongs. Cousins make me not to watch kings even more, hes lucky he is tall enough to play in nba. Lacks good conduct and basketball skills.
He’ll end up playing overseas.
Cousin’s needs to stay put and play ball, but the team isnt going anywhere from what ive been seeing lately. their only biggest success was what beating a Bynumless LAKERS?? change coach? change management? but anyways 2nd Year player is 2nd year player, he’s no child anymore, his 21 yrs olds! athletes these days
he might end up like another demarcus it he dont tighin up
l0l i would like to imagine KG and cousins in the same team. ahahaha how intense the practice would be, and the moment cousins talks trash KG would beat him up right there.
Yeah, Cousin is over reacting and Sacto really need a better coach than Paul Westphal.
Send him to Miami!
We could use his down-low presence !
FIRE THAT COACH! WATCH THIS VIDEO AND YOU’LL KNOW WHAT REALLY HAPPENED! STUPID WESTPHAL IS GOING TO GET COUSINS WANTING TO LEAVE! http://www.nba.com/video/channels/nba_tv/2012/01/01/20120101_gametime_cousins.nba/
trade him to Detroit, we’ll take him off your hands.
Shoots like a bad SG, turns it over like a bad PG, fouls like a bad hockey player and demands to be traded? Lol, np, gtfo…
That’s priceless. I hate message boards, but that was good stuff brother.
BOSTON BOUND
Boston in exchange for the 2 rookies..
Wow. Cousins really has a bad attitude. KNICKS STAY AWAY!!
I think send him to any NBA team with a big fellow with an attitude but not like his! i think KG is the best person to coach him! sent him to Boston!
KG would be yelling at him every game lol but I agree, with veterans like Ray Allen, Pierce, KG and a coach like Rivers, Cousins could learn a thing or two.
Come to Thunder for Perk we need an inside presence that can score and rebound :D
No thank you, OKC is on the rise, they don’t need Cousins to bring them down. Plus they have Westbrook, who at times does act like a child, for example, shooting silly 3s, making unnecessary turnovers.
Cousins must be traded to a psychiatric hospital because he’s mentally sick. The dude doesn’t deserve to be playing for a wonderful city like Sacramento. He’s such a spoiled kid – just release him and let him break up a not-so-bright NBA career.
No need to make excuses from coaches to managemnet. If you really have a damn good game you should have been at least on the papers. But you suck big time. You’re a disappointment, a waste of time and a trash for the Sac Town!
You must not know anything… All you do is bash people. You don’t know every part of the situation and I can say it doesn’t seem like you watch games. Cause nobody “suck big time” in the NBA.
For Cousins I have 2 words. Grow up. You are an adult now and it is time to start acting like it. I don’t really know a lot about the situation regarding the coaching in Sacramento, but if you have hot headed unexperienced players complaining, that is not necessarily a good gauge of their coaching ability. Cousins and Tyreke Evans need to learn humilty, and work hard to do well in this league, and if they can’t do that under Westphal, they won’t be able to do it under any other coach in the league
Cousin’s EGO is really annoying, this kid should STFU and play ball
Tyreke was complaining about the coaching as well!!! So don’t try and slant the story as if DeMarcus is just soooo terrible!!! He’s not alone in not wanting 2 suck!!! Westphal needs a lot of the blame as well!! Get a real coach!!! The Maloofs hands aren’t clean either. All they care about is a new stadium they could care less about the product they’re putting in the stadium!! Everybody in that organizations upper management needs 2 take some blame!!!! Same direction as the team!!! Hmph!! What direction is that?!?! Straight down!!!
wow, want makes him think he is in a place to demand a trade. he hasnt even proved that he can be a pro athlete yet. D-leauge is what he needs
TOTALLY!!! Let him go D league, then he might come back with some respect.
Let that freak leave sactown!
Cousins sucks big time!
Come to ATLANTA!!!!!
heck NO! if he has trouble concentrating in sac, he’ll never be able to concentrate in atl. we need a big man, but there is no way we need a big boy. one of them georgia peaches would have his nose open and money gone in a second.
The jerk store called, and they’re running out of you!
What’s the difference?! Your their biggest seller! :-)
For a 2nd year player who hasn’t really consistently delivered in games demands a trade. Cousins thinks too big of himself, if he can’t even play good basketball on a weak team, he thinks he’ll get better with a stronger team? NOT, he’ll end up coming off the bench instead of a starter and he’ll be one of those players who wants to coast to a championship.
Growing up in the NBA.. Cousins needs to kool down and stay put. He can work on his game and attitude in Sacramento the only team willing to take this young raw talent and try to mold him into a decent consistant NBA star. There will be alot of ups and downs for him, he just needs to get used to playing his heart out, win or lose.
Let’s ship Odom to Sacramento and bring Cousins to Dallas!
that would only make dallas the contenders again cus he would fit in cus dallas needs a post player, and odom just doesnt fit with dallas
Cousins better have a good reason to request a trade. He’s fortunate to be on an NBA roster right now. From the dreaded CBA that almost ate the entire season, and all the financial cutbacks, anyone who isn’t an A-List ball player has to work twice as hard just to make it these days. Given that he is still pretty new and has a lot of upside, he’s about to regret making a big deal over what ever he’s angry about. Millions of basketball players would love to be in his shoes, I wish I was. I also hope he knows that bringing all that negativity to the locker room, the club, and mainly to Paul Westphal isn’t good. The city of Sacramento just fought to hold on to the Kings and this is the payment they get? With that said, I hope he gets traded for somebody who is going to be grateful. I’m in Seattle and we don’t have a team, for known reasons… Cousins really needs to think about what he’s doing to everybody around him besides himself before it’s too late for his career.
cousin is over reacting
Cousin has a Big ego.. and his not that good.. Shame on you big fellow
lakers?
I would always suspend them without pay! No questions asked. Hit them where it hurts!
dude better smarten up, or he’ll end up like the boy A.I.
well A.I as 11 time all star and a MVP. Cousins hasnt done anything and will always be an under achiever
One of the best? How about think first.
trade him to boston! he';; learn alot from the big 3 and he’s a good fit! the celtics need his talent!
Yes please. Get him 2 boston. He won’t complain about coaching there. doc rivers is da best.
no hes too immature he’ll ruin the chemistry
Cousin should just shuddup and play B-Ball. He think he will become a great player with that attitude? Never.
what a shame……….another gifted athelete determined to waste that talent
Cousins is a child.