Report: Kings' Cousins doesn't want George Karl fired

Paul Westphal, Keith Smart, Mike Malone, and Tyrone Corbin have all coached Sacramento Kings All-Star DeMarcus Cousins at some point during his young NBA career, and "Boogie" doesn't appear ready to see another bench boss come and go.

Even as his relationship with current head coach George Karl goes through its fair share of issues, Cousins reportedly went to Kings management to let it be known that he doesn't want him removed, according to Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix.

The franchise hasn't reached the 30-win mark since the 2007-08 season, and with Cousins so openly passionate about how much he wants to win, playing under a new coaching regime could derail the process of the Kings becoming a playoff contender in the Western Conference once again.

Sacramento began the 2015-16 regular season with a 2-7 record, prompting the Kings to hold a team meeting after Cousins reportedly lashed out at Karl following a loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.

"We had a problem in the family," team general manager Vlade Divac said Tuesday. "We addressed it, we talked about it."

Karl reportedly wanted to suspend Cousins for two games following his outburst, despite not having the authority to do so. Divac would have reportedly given him the power to hand down such a punishment, but the GM would neither confirm or deny that the story was true.

The team is coming off a 101-92 win over the surging Detroit Pistons Wednesday night, which should ease any behind-the-scenes tension momentarily. Divac has emphasized that Karl's job is not in jeopardy, and with Cousins unlikely to be traded, it will be on the two parties to coexist and try to salvage what may already be a lost season.