If Dame is part of the deal then I doubt Boogie would stay after next season. The trade would be a disaster. Interesting that once CJ's contract kicks in we will have 4 players making more than Cousins. CJ is obviously the bait, but after watching how slow Cousins was on defense this summer in the Olympics, I would be real reluctant to include him. I still want Cousins on the team, because he is still one of the better centers in the league, but I am not sure if centers are as important as guards are these days unless they are elite defenders......which Boogie is not. With Ezeli being from Sacramento and having family that still lives there, I am hoping the Kings might think they can keep him there long term. I think our best chance is if Ezeli stays healthy and plays well this year. He and a couple of other pieces might be our best chance. But I am sure other teams will offer more.
I don't see ANY scenario in which we'd trade CJ for DMC. And while I do really want DMC, I agree that he's not worth trading our key pieces for due to his defense not being stellar and his lower-than-expected offensive efficiency. If CJ does get traded it's not going to be for DMC - I think it would have to be another wind...Butler? Of the teams rumored to be interested in trading for DMC (SAS, CHI, NYK, HOU, LAL), only LAL could put together a package that could be better than Crabbe/Aminu/Vonleh.
i have heard through the grapevine DMC would love to play in portland with Dame and CJ. i know you guys hate that "through the grapevine crap but im just sayin... DMC could pull a melo and say he wouldnt sign with any other team if he really wanted to be here. then you could keep dame and cj and give them a choice of whoever else + picks obviously not likely but YOU NEVER KNOW
Harkless and Crabbe would be the center points of that deal. Then one of our bigs would have to be included along with 2 or 3 firsts. How many times is there a star for start trade in this league? Hardly ever. Usually it's a gift basket of young pieces with potential and first round picks.
"And"? No chance. "Or" works, but not "and". I'd start with Crabbe, along with Vonleh, Plumlee, and a couple picks. Not a bad haul for Sacramento, IMO. Of course, Crabbe could put the kibosh on any deal we try to include him in, so we'd have to convince him that he could be a superstar in Sacramento.
We'd have to convince him that he could be a 16-17 ppg, efficient, 3-and-D guy. But Harmless would need to be included, but I think I'd be willing to give up both.
I've been riding the train for a while now. I wouldn't give up CJ or Dame though but I still think the Blazers could get it done. A big brute than can bully his way for a bucket in the paint is the only thing the Blazers are missing really. Can Vonleh be that guy?
Grant Napear is well-respected in the Sacramento community as a broadcaster covering Kings’ games since 1988. These are his quotes about Cousins.
Good find. I am sure most GM's have heard opinions like this on Boogie and because of it the trade packages will not include their teams star players. But on the other hand it only takes one desperate team to offer a lot.
Sounds like a whole lot of "back in my day" sort of talk. He said 2 years ago? If that shit show of a franchise stuck with Mike Malone, who Cousins really liked, they likely make the playoffs last season. They're completely inept. He's a hot head for sure. From everything I've observed, it's a passion issue more than anything. In a he hates losing sort of sense. He's not punching hookers and raping soccer moms off the court. He hates losing. He hates the buddy-buddiness of the nba, something I think a ton of people would adore him for. He's not looking to go out and make friends. He wants to win. IMO I think, with nothing to base it on, he's like a big child, a very gifted one, that needs that big brother to keep him in relative check. Dame is easily that guy. And not check off the court. He's fine there. He's hot headed. From passion. He's a much more talented Zach Randolph, when Zach was handed the reins to a shitty team. And Zach had nobody to tell him otherwise. There was a vacuum of leadership. Who has Cousins had to guide him?? If we got him without losing Dame or Cj?? I think Stotts finds lineups to challenge GS.
This. If Cousins wants to play with Portland, he tells the other teams he won't re-sign with them. Then the Kings get what we say they get.
Meh. This "respect mah authoritah" and "superiors" talk is bullshit, and why our country is so bassackwards. Some "old boys club" definition of authority is not deserving of respect. Fuck those people - they shouldn't be respected. And clearly the Kings management isn't deserving of respect...they're a joke of an organization. I do have my concerns about Cousins, but his "lack of respect" is towards the bottom of that list. I truly believe that if he were part of a good, strong organization, with a well-respected, clear-cut leader like Dame (with a wingman like CJ) that he'd buy in and be, if not a model teammate, the sort of hot-head that most teams need in order to win a championship (DET Sheed, Rodman, Green, Laimbeer, Shaq, JR Smith, etc). Simply put, Dame and CJ would not let DMC derail team morale. DMC isn't a leader, but because he's SAC's best player he's their de facto leader - exactly what we had going on with Sheed. The moment Sheed went to a team that already had leadership he was a catalyst to their championship.
Of the teams rumored to be interested in DMC (Bulls, Knicks, Spurs, Lakers, Rockets) only the Lakers could put together a strong package for him. Any of the other teams would have to ship out players that they want to add DMC to, not swap for. No sense in bidding against ourselves for a "flawed" player. Unless CHI is willing to part with Mirotic (ha!) or the Knicks Porzingas (haha!) I don't see how they could put together an attractive package. Spurs simply don't have anything of value to a team like SAC. I suppose HOU could build something around Eric Gordan?
