The Sacramento Kings appear to be out of the running for the NBA playoffs as they trail behind the Denver Nuggets and the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference led by Stephen Curry's Golden State Warriors. As one of the teams expected to impress this season, especially in light of the entry of former Boston Celtics star Rajon Rondo in the roster, the Rudy Gay squad gave a lackluster performance this year. Moreover, the issues plaguing star player DeMarcus Cousins notably weighed heavily among the Sacramento Kings players. Hence, some fans are calling for the trade of the problematic Cousins.
One of the most widely reported drama linked to the Sacramento Kings is the rift between Cousins and George Karl. The head coach and the team's star player appear to struggle to keep the peace in the locker room. In fact, Cousins had been suspended in the past because he yelled at Karl following yet another disappointing game. Unsurprisingly, their tension affected the plays of the Sacramento Kings. However, it looks like Karl has the last laugh as Cousins has been declared out for the rest of the road games this NBA season.
"Karl says Cousins won't play on the road the rest of the season. Tank-A-Palooza," revealed Ira Winderman via Twitter. With this decision, the star will miss three games on the road. Cousins also picked up yet another suspension when he hit the 16th technical foul for the NBA season. As per the NBA rules, a basketball star is to be automatically suspended once he reaches this quota.
With these absences in the hardwood court, is it time for the Sacramento Kings to finally trade Cousins? Will a change of scenery improve the explosive star? Or should the Sacramento Kings just get rid of Karl?
Some sports analysts feel that Cousins might be better off on another team. Dave Daniels of Rant Sports believes that other teams could benefit from the big man. Moreover, a change in style and system could help Cousins mature faster in the NBA.
"It's hard not to feel bad for DeMarcus Cousins. He was drafted by the wrong team, and so despite putting up exemplary numbers during his time with the Sacramento Kings, he has gotten a reputation as a player who can't win," noted Daniels. He added, "That isn't exactly fair. If he had any talent around him, then it might be a different story."
Daniels further noted, "He has been a chemistry problem for the Kings during his career; however, a lot of that has to do with how dysfunctional the entire organization has been."
Meanwhile, the Sacramento Kings faced off stiff competition when they played the Denver Nuggets. Amid the odds stacked against them, Gay and his team managed to pull off a win. What is more incredible is that the Sacramento Kings did it sans both Rondo and Cousins.
Gay commented, "We love playing the game of basketball, and we love to win." As for Seth Curry, he shared that the absence of the stars provided opportunities for others to test their limits. He added that everyone in the Sacramento Kings was given the chance to become a leader and playmaker.
Curry said, "Obviously Cuz gets however many shots he gets a game, and Rondo has the ball a lot throughout the game. So other guys got opportunities to make plays tonight, and we tried to share the ball and get good shots."
Does this mean that they can do without their biggest stars? Is it time to move on from the Cousins-Karl drama and sign a different player by the NBA offseason?
