The New Orleans Pelicans weren't the only big winners with their acquisition of DeMarcus Cousins. The Philadelphia 76ers also gained from this blockbuster move.
The decision for the Sacramento Kings to trade superstar DeMarcus Cousins to the New Orleans Pelicans certainly took the spotlight away from the NBA All-Star Game festivities.
And while the Pelicans were the obvious winners in the deal, the Philadelphia 76ers have also benefited from the Kings' change of direction.
The Sixers' luck comes from their transaction in July 2015, when the Sixers took on a collection of contracts from the Kings. The added benefit from taking on these contracts was the Sixers' ability to swap first round picks in both 2016 and 2017.
Currently, the Kings are 24-33 and the Sixers are 21-35. With the loss of Cousins and the gradual improvement this season of the Sixers, there is every chance by the end of the season that the Kings' record will be considerably worse than that of the Sixers.
As NBA analyst Nate Duncan tweeted shortly after the trade was detailed:
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On top of the pick swap this year with the Kings, the Sixers are also owed a top-three protected first round pick from the Los Angeles Lakers. This transaction took place in February 2015, which was a three-way deal involving the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns.
The Sixers' president of basketball operations at the time, San Hinkie, traded Michael Career-Williams. At the time of the deal, Carter-Williams was the reigning Rookie of the Year.
As it stands, the Lakers are currently 19-39 and have the third-worst record in the league. Naturally, the better the Lakers' record, the higher the odds of the Sixers receiving this pick, possibly as high as No. 4 overall.
But after Sunday's events, it's not just the Lakers' fortunes whom the Sixers will be keeping an eye on for the remainder of the season.
It's also the Kings, thanks in large part to the studious work of Sam Hinkie.
Long live "the process."
