Cousins trade makes Pelicans contenders, says owner

Boogie's arrival has brought a sense of excitement to the Big Easy, and at least one person is dreaming of an NBA title.

A day after New Orleans announced it landed DeMarcus Cousins in a trade with the Sacramento Kings, Pelicans owner Tom Benson raved that adding one of the best players in the league makes his club an instant contender.

"We are only a few games behind in the playoff hunt and I want to bring an NBA Championship to this city," he said in a statement released Tuesday. "I think this trade puts us in a position where we are now more improved and can make a run."

Indeed, the Pels are just 2.5 games back of the eighth spot in the West with 25 regular-season games remaining and are in a win-now mode with the additions of Cousins and Omri Casspi. They're apparently not done their roster shake-up, either, as they're reportedly looking to add a perimeter player.

An adjustment period is expected, but if New Orleans can make the playoffs, they could make some noise behind the incredibly talented All-Star duo of Anthony Davis and Cousins.

Related - Davis pumped about Cousins trade: 'It doesn't get better than this'

Benson also said he was "110 percent" behind the decision to acquire the All-NBA center. He even lent his plane to general manager Dell Demps and coach Alvin Gentry to pick up the two players in Sacramento.

Cousins and Casspi are set to make their Pelicans debuts in Thursday's game versus the Houston Rockets.