1. The locker room is free of Cousins’ attitude
Contrary to popular belief, not every Kings fan hates this trade. In fact, local Kings broadcaster Grant Napear might be the only one who loves this deal from their perspective. In the wake of the trade, he sent out a series of tweets detailing how much better it is to move on from the “Sacramento Cousins” (he’s still going at it at the time of writing):
Trading DMC was an absolute no brainer! There has been a dark cloud over this franchise for years! That cloud is now gone!
— Grant Napear (@GrantNapearshow) February 20, 2017
The Kings were never going to win with Cousins. NEVER! This was a no brainer! I wish him well! I really do but it was time!
— Grant Napear (@GrantNapearshow) February 20, 2017
The Sacramento Kings just became a team again! Its time to move into the future! It's time to start winning! This gives them the best chance
— Grant Napear (@GrantNapearshow) February 20, 2017
And here's maybe the most important thing. Most of Cousin's teammates the past 7 years hated playing with him! That is a fact!
— Grant Napear (@GrantNapearshow) February 20, 2017
We are going to talk about the Sacramento Kings not the Sacramento Cousins! https://t.co/krZywS91Hz
— Grant Napear (@GrantNapearshow) February 20, 2017
Granted, Napear also said that George Karl would turn things around, so take his opinion with a grain of salt.
The biggest reason, of course, is because of his attitude issues. That’s why many teams were hesitant to pull the trigger on a deal, including the Boston Celtics due to Cousins and Isaiah Thomas not getting along in Sacramento. It’s also one of the reasons why he’ll likely thrive in New Orleans, since he’s getting paired with fellow Kentucky alum Anthony Davis and is moving to a team that’s close to where he grew up.
People are criticizing the Kings for giving up Cousins for so little in return. But the package they received should tell you everything about how he was regarded. If this trade says anything, it’s that he was viewed as a cancer in the locker room, and they couldn’t wait to get rid of him.
Next: Three reasons the DeMarcus Cousins-Anthony Davis pairing will work in New Orleans
It may look like the Kings aren’t moving in any direction. But that was also the case when they had Cousins, so why not just blow up the team and start fresh? There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Kings, and they just lost one of their best players in franchise history, but at least they can put this chapter behind them and look towards the future.