DeMarcus Cousins’ days in Sacramento have come to an end as the Kings have agreed to a deal to trade their All-Star center to the New Orleans Pelicans, according to a report from Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical Sunday night:
The Pelicans are sending guards Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans and Langston Galloway, and 2017 first- and second-round picks to the Kings as part of the deal, league sources said, with forward Omri Casspi going to the Pelicans.
The Kings were at significant risk of losing a 2017 top-10 protected pick to Chicago, and the trade now increases the chances they can hold on to it.
According to Wojnarowski, Sacramento and the Lakers discussed parameters on a deal over the weekend, but Los Angeles was unwilling to part with rookie Brandon Ingram and the Kings ended the talks, clearing the way for the deal with the Pelicans.
Sacramento was reportedly discussing a trade with the Phoenix Suns earlier this month, prompting GM Vlade Divac to tell ESPN Cousins would not be traded: “We hope he’s here for a long time,” Divac said.
The Kings, according to ESPN’s Marc Stein, were leaning in the direction of offering Cousins a maximum Designated Player contract extension in the offseason, “estimated to be in the $219 million range over five seasons.”
Now the franchise has shifted directions, building a Cousins-free culture after six-plus seasons.
More from Stein on the deal:
The Pelicans feel confident they can re-sign Cousins, who is from nearby Mobile, Alabama, this summer, a league source told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. Cousins does not become a free agent until after the 2017-18 season.
“I don’t think they would have done the trade without a lot of confidence they could re-sign him,” a source with knowledge of the Pelicans’ thinking said.
The three-time All-Star averaged 21.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks in Sacramento. He also led the NBA in technical fouls (105) and ejections (12) since 2010-11, and played for six different coaches since joining the league as the No. 5 pick of the 2010 draft.
Cousins has one year and $18 million left on his contract after this season.
The NBA trade deadline is Thursday, Feb. 23 at noon PT.
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