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Barkley wouldn't trade for Cousins: 'I think he's going to get you fired'

Scott Halleran / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Longtime TNT broadcaster Charles Barkley knows DeMarcus Cousins has all of the talent in the world - but he still would never trade for him.

Cousins has received extensive negative press of late for a myriad of incidents. Some of these include: An alleged nightclub fight alongside teammate Matt Barnes, his berating of a reporter in the Kings locker room, and being ejected - then unejected - during the Kings' game against the Portland Trail Blazers for spitting his mouthguard in the direction of the Blazers bench.

Barkley has never held his tongue on his criticism of Cousins in the past, and regardless of the immense talent that the Kings center has, Barkley doesn't think he's worth the headache.

"I wouldn’t trade for him because you’re going to have to give up a lot to get him," Barkley admitted in an interview with Sirius XM NBA Radio. "And then if you - I think it's too late in his career for him to change, and I think he’s going to get you fired.”

Correlation doesn't always equal causation, but Cousins has in fact seen three different general managers, and six different head coaches during his seven year tenure with the organization - not exactly a model of consistency.

Wasted talent is one of the more disappointing things in sports, and Barkley believes that's the path that Cousins seems to be on.

"The kid's got so much talent, but I don't think he's ever going to get it because it's always somebody else's fault."

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