Lakers - Kings- Trade Very Unlikely; Both Teams Focused On Draft

Chris Mannix‏@ChrisMannixSI 5m5 minutes ago
Sacramento continues to explore several deals. Talks with the Lakers for DMC are real, sources say, but ownership determined to keep him.
Chris Mannix‏@ChrisMannixSI 4m4 minutes ago
Keep an eye on Sacramento/Denver. Kings coach George Karl loved Ty Lawson in his Nuggets days. Kings could make a run at him.

 

Denver could make an interesting 3rd to help facilitate a trade.

 

best way to get a star: be drafting in the top 2.

back when the lakers were looking at 4 or 5, I was all in on trading the pick for cousins.

 

We'll see. I like Okafor, and I like his talent. We get him, and I think we can develop him into a 'star.' Truth be told, though, I'm more excited about Randle than Okafor.

 

Another rumor surfaced Monday when ESPN said the Lakers "have emerged as one of the most determined trade suitors for Sacramento Kings All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins."

Cousins earned $14.7 million for the 2014-15 season and has three years and $50.9 million left on his contract.

The article details an "exploratory" dialog on a three-way trade that could send Nikola Vucevic to the Kings from the Orlando Magic.

Former Lakers center Vlade Divac recently was named the Kings' vice president of basketball and franchise operations. To trade their 24-year-old center, he would have to convince team owner Vivek Ranadive, who is believed to be fond of Cousins.

Divac recently told the Sacramento Bee that a Cousins trade "is not happening." While that may be true, NBA executives have been known to fib and/or stretch the truth around this time of year (as well as near the February trade deadline).

Joe Kotoch of Sheridan Hoops tweeted his take on the Cousins rumor, offering confirmation that "the Lakers are speaking with the Kings and Magic about a 3 team deal for the 2nd pick, Cousins, etc."

The Lakers hold the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, along with Nos. 27 and 34. The Kings own the sixth pick, and the Magic has the fifth overall selection.

"Still in talks but initially sounds like Kings get 5 pick, [Nikola] Vucevic, & other picks, Magic get 2nd pick & take [Jahlil] Okafor, Lakers get Cousins & 6," wrote Kotoch.

Kotoch followed up with a note that the Lakers like Texas center Myles Turner at No. 6, if the theoretical deal was executed.

From a salary cap perspective, the Lakers would be able to make such a deal legal if they opted in on Hill's contract and sent him to the Magic (probably with center Robert Sacre, whose $915,243 deal will become guaranteed if he is not waived before July).

Vucevic has a complicated contract; he earned $2.8 million this season and starts a four-year, $48-million extension this July. But the Magic has enough cap space ($8.2 million) to overcome the "poison pill" nature of the young center's contract. Because the Lakers owe a first-rounder to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2016 (top-three protected), they must have a first-round pick this Thursday, be it two, six or 27.

All this should be taken in with a sizable grain of salt as most NBA rumors rarely come to pass.

http://forums.lakersground.net/viewtopic.php?t=173948&start=900

 

I wouldn't give up any of our young three for him -- Jah, Randle, or JC.

Cousins attitude isn't worth his weight in salt. He's put up empty stats. Is a loose screw. And he wouldn't put us over the top. Unless you can swindle the Kings, I see no reason to consider a deal.

Those in favor, answer me this: is Cousins a winner? Can he get along with Scott? Is the juice worth the squeeze?

For me: no, no, and no. He's a headache and a head case. Hard working, humble young men with loads of talent and potential (franchise leading potential), and a good head on their shoulders don't come along every day. By all appearances, we're about to have 3 of them (not buying the Jah is lazy s***). You can mold willingly into whatever you want them to be. Cousins is who he is, that's not going to change. You either live with it or trade him.

If he could be the guy to be a difference maker for us and give us a chance at contention, that's another story. He can't. We're a few years away. I'd rather spend that time building up our young core, adding pieces, and a max player a year until we can put a real contender on the floor in 3-4 seasons.

 

Can't like this enough.

This is pretty much what I have been saying. The Kings haven't been close to a contender with Cousins. Just not sold he is a winner or a guy who gets us to the next level.

 

Five years and the Kings haven't cracked 30 wins with Cousins. I will take my chances with Okafor and Randle.

 

Agreed. Productive rookie contracts should be our priority with the summer of 2016 in mind. That being said, maybe Mitch and Co. are looking at Okafor to Orlando since the Magic have essentially been the place we've historically developed our Centers until they're ready to play for us anyways lol.

 

I thought we moved passed this idea of trading our way back to the top?

As good as Cousins is, i'm not willing to give away our young core for him. In fact there are really only two players I would trade for: Lebron James and Stephen Curry.

 

Two lottery picks (Okafor and Randle), 1st team all rookie with Clarkson, all for Cousins? We made it this far with the "rebuild", why throw it all away now?

 

Depends how good you think Jah is going to be. If you think you are getting the best post prospect in over a decade, you have to seriously consider of giving that up and his GUARANTEED cost effective 8-9 years here.

Is that worth getting Cousins for 3 years at 15 mil per and a tier down in the draft in terms of talent?

If the Lakers think Jah is the real deal, it's going to be hard to just let that go, even with a good return. And if they don't, then they should be getting the best bang for their buck on that pick. Whether it be another drafted player or trade.

 

^Would the Lakers even consider this if they thought Jah or D'Angelo are the for real?

 

People have been praising Okafor as the next big thing for weeks on here. Now we're going to pass on him for a guy who can't get his team to 30 wins in 5 years. I mean really think about that. Beyond all the issues with his attitude, etc his team has never won 30 games. Supposed best center in the league and his team hasn't won 30 games. Anthony Davis got the Hornets to the playoffs in 3. Dwight Howard four. Blake Griffin, etc. Even the much ripped Kevin Love got that awful Twolves team past 30 wins.

The more I think about it the less I like this deal. Just don't think Cousins is the guy to get us back to the top.

Don't get cute Mitch. Draft Okafor and let's keep this rebuild moving along.

 

Why are we arguing cousins vs okafor? We should be arguing Cousins+Mudiay/Hezonja/Winslow/Porzingis/WCS/Turner vs okafor. If the trade doesn't involve randle or Clarkson it's a no brainer. Clarkson I do it, randle I don't.

Cousins+Hezonga >>>>>>>>Okafor