Report: Lakers pursuing trade for Kings' DeMarcus Cousins
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Here's a potential big one: the Los Angeles Lakers are actively trying to acquire DeMarcus Cousins from the Sacramento Kings, just three days before the NBA Draft, ESPN's Marc Stein reports.
Kings vice-president Vlade Divac has gone on record calling the franchise center "untradeable" and suggested he'd only deal him for a circa-1990s Michael Jordan.
Following Stein's report, USA Today's Sam Amick tweeted that Kings owner Vivek Ranadive has also been adamant that Cousins will not be traded. Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix also added Monday the Kings are determined to keep him, despite the talks being "real."
Regardless, the Lakers have been so determined to construct a trade they've enlisted the Orlando Magic as a third team to help facilitate a deal, according to Stein. The franchises have reportedly had "exploratory dialogue" that would send Cousins to the Lakers and possibly Magic center Nikola Vucevic to Sacramento. All three teams have top-six picks in Thursday's NBA Draft.
The Lakers' No. 2 overall pick and Julius Randle - last year's No. 7 selection - are also in play, according to Mannix.
This, to put it mildly, would be a blockbuster, and would give the Lakers a franchise centerpiece big man for the first time since Shaquille O'Neal, with the exception being the one season Dwight Howard played in purple and gold. Still, the Lakers have limited assets in terms of players to swing such a major deal, and Orlando would command a lot to part with Vucevic as well.
Cousins' contentment with the Kings organization has been the subject of much discussion in the past, specifically the soon-to-be 25-year-old being unhappy with the dismissal of coach Michael Malone last season.
The Boston Celtics also have had reported interest in Cousins. He is currently signed with the Kings through 2017-18.
Cousins and Vucevic represent two of the best young centers in the NBA. Cousins averaged 24 points and just under 13 rebounds in 59 games last season, while Vucevic averaged 19 and almost 11.