Skip Bayless: The Kings made the worst trade in NBA history

The New Orleans Pelicans pulled off the heist of the year by landing All-Star DeMarcus Cousins in a blockbuster trade that sent shockwaves through the Western Conference and could re-shape the playoffs this summer. 

On Monday's episode of "Undisputed," Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe reacted to the news, and Bayless explained why he believes the Kings may have just agreed to the worst trade in NBA history. 

"I am dumbfounded by what just happened. After the All-Star Game, about four days before the trade deadline, this actually happened. And the harder I look at, the worse it gets.

"I think the Sacramento Kings just might have made the worst trade in NBA history. In NBA history! Because they just gave up a top-10 player.

"I know he’s got his emotional roller-coaster issues, but a top-10 player who has the potential to quickly mature into a top-5 NBA player. And in return, the Sacramento Kings got a former fourth overall pick who has never made an All-Star team. His name is Tyreke Evans, and he’s coming off three knee surgeries in the last 18 months. Really?"

"And they also got a Buddy Hield, and I’m on record with this one. He stayed all four years at a school that I love and watch, University of Oklahoma. Stayed all four years, which is a bad sign, which is why I said he’s being overrated. He went sixth overall to New Orleans and has been nothing but a disappointment this year, and I fear for him because he’s going to be viewed as the linchpin in this trade. He is now going to be on a hot seat up in Sacramento he does not want to have to sit on, and I fear that Buddy Hield will further crumble under the pressure.

"Finally, we throw into this deal Langston Galloway who is a decent bench player, and they did get a first-round pick -- but I think it’s going to wind up being in the middle of the draft -- and they did get a second-round pick. But that’s it? For DeMarcus Cousins, the best big man in basketball?"

"I must admit, I have a little bias here. I’ve been a fan of DeMarcus Cousins since he was at Kentucky. And before that draft, I went on record and said, "I would take DeMarcus No. 1 over John Wall." And a lot of people ridiculed me for that and laughed at that, but I think I’ve been proven true.

"… I believe, as a player, that he’s even slightly better than his new runningmate, Anthony Davis, is. DeMarcus is a better passer than Anthony is. DeMarcus has high-level passing skills, where he could be a Tim Duncan in the right offense with the right coach. I’m not sure it’s going to be immediately in New Orleans. He’s also turned into a pretty deadly 3-point shooter, where I trust him. He’s a 36 percent three-point shooter, so he’s got that added to his arsenal. I’m not sure that Alvin Gentry is the kind of dynamic leader that he needs at this point in his life, but Alvin is an NBA lifer who will provide some even-keel stability for him because he’s gone through, what … six coaches in seven years in Sacramento. In the end, I have no idea why Sacramento didn’t just wait. If they’re going to get rid of him, which they clearly wanted to do even though they’ve said for months now, ‘There’s no way we’re going to trade him ...’

"If they wanted to do it, they should have made it public and auctioned him off."

"When I heard about it I was like ‘wow,’ because basically they gave away DeMarcus Cousins for a jar of jelly beans, a case of Gatorade and six rolls of tape. That’s what they gave away. They can’t make up this value.

"Now however you want to view Boogie … I say he’s a top-3 big man in all of basketball. [Cousins], Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns. Now, all of them went to Kentucky, and how John Calipari only won one national championship with all that talent … we’ll debate that another day.

"Now you get a top-3 power forward in all of basketball for Buddy Hield, Langston Galloway, a first-round pick, Tyreke Evans? Now Tyreke, he did win rookie of the year in Sacramento."

"But here is this. Boogie’s going to have to do some soul searching because he cost himself 30 million dollars. He could have signed a 5-year, $209 million max contract. Now the max he can get is five for $179. That’s $30 million that he cost himself.

"You mentioned it, six coaches in seven years. I understand that George Karl has said some things, and I understand how he might rub some people the wrong way, but Paul Westphal, [Mike] Malone, Keith Smart, Ty Corbin … it can’t be all the coaches’ fault. It can’t be.

Skip: "I got it, I hear you, but I still say he was in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong franchise. Because the owner’s dysfunctional, to me, and I think Vlade [Divac] has proven to be dysfunctional over time."

"This makes sense for the Pelicans for one reason: It shows that 23-year-old, the guy that just won the All-Star Game MVP, ‘We’re trying to win, and we’re going to get you some help.’ Because at the end of the day, that’s the guy you’ve got to keep happy. If he walks, you can’t give enough smoothies away in Smoothie King Center to get people to come see that team play basketball. [For] the Pelicans, this was a no-brainer. Other than Anthony Davis, you could have had anyone else on my team.

"... Think about what you’re asking the Sacramento Kings to commit to: $209 million over five years. Here’s a guy that has 17 techs, here’s a guy that’s lashed out against media members when they write something that he doesn’t like. So you’re asking an awful lot for a team that knows him. Now he’s been in this organization for six years. They know Boogie Cousins frontwards and backwards, and they know things about him that we don’t know because it never got out. So they’re looking at this from an advantageous [perspective]. I wouldn’t have done it, because that kind of talent, I need more than that."