A person familiar with the situation says the Kings have agreed to trade DeMarcus Cousins and Omri Casspi to the Pelicans in exchange for Tyreke Evans, 2016 first-round draft pick Buddy Hield, Langston Galloway and first- and second-round draft picks this summer.
The person spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity Sunday night because the trade is not official and has not been announced by either team.
The deal pairs Cousins, a front-court All-Star from nearby Mobile, Ala., with Davis, a fellow University of Kentucky product who on Sunday night was the 2017 All-Star MVP after scoring 52 points, breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s 1962 record of 42 points.
The trade could have major ramifications for the Bulls, who would’ve acquired the Kings’ first-round pick as part of the January 2014 Luol Deng trade had the Kings finished better than the league’s 10 worst records. With Cousins gone, that seems unlikely and the Bulls would get a second-round pick.
During Sunday’s All-Star Game, every participant was given at least 12 minutes of playing time except for Cousins, who got off the bench for a mere 2:27. ESPN reported during that was the least amount of playing time doled out during the league’s annual showcase since 1971.
During the game, the Internet was abuzz with reports that the Kings were working hard on trading Cousins away, which turned out to be the case.
Cousins, 26, is the NBA’s top low post scorer, averaging 27.8 points and 10.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists this season. His name has frequently come up in trade talks over the last few seasons.
Chicago Tribune reporter K.C. Johnson contributed to this report.
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