Sacramento Kings GM Says DeMarcus Cousins is Not on the Trade Block

DeMarcus Cousins’ attitude has gotten him into quite a bit of trouble this season, which has led many to speculate that the Sacramento Kings would be willing to look at a possible trade (despite their understandable reluctance to pull the trigger on such a move for the talented big man. Cousins has also made it clear he wants to remain in Sac-Town.) According to Kings GM Geoff Petrie, the chances of Cousins getting moved anytime soon are extremely slim. Per NBA.com: “If this last thing doesn’t work, I don’t know what to do,’ a member of the organization said, referring to the suspension of Cousins by the team after he engaged in a profanity-laden shouting match with Coach Keith Smart at halftime of the Kings’ game with the Clippers Dec. 21. The suspension was initially labeled indefinite by the team, but it was reduced to one game, though Smart kept Cousins inactive for a second game last week. USA Today reported over the weekend the decision to reinstate Cousins so quickly came from owners Gavin and Joe Maloof and not general manager Geoff Petrie. A source with knowledge of the discussions said that Cousins’s new agent, Dan Fegan, also was involved in persuading Sacramento to get Cousins back to the team quicker. It was Cousins’s third suspension already this season; the first two were handed down by the league. […] ‘You can put that one to rest,’ Petrie said. ‘He’s not going anywhere. You can lay that to rest. Some of that stuff lives in its own reality.’ Petrie said the return of Cousins to the team provided ‘resolution’ to the shouting match with Smart. ‘Everybody’s moving forward,’ Petrie said. ‘He’s still a young, developing player that’s yet to reach his potential and is still a major piece of the future planning here. Everyone’s committed to working with his development as a player and his overall growth…he’s still an important part of the future. He’s like a lot of people. Some have good days, and some days are better than others. We’re going to continue to work with him to help him reach his potential, which is still very high.'”