Phone lines are now open in Sacramento.
But if you're an NBA personnel mover attempting to acquire (your favorite adjective here) Kings center DeMarcus Cousins, don't expect to hear any giveaway-style promotions. So, if "immature," "troubled" or "train wreck" are the words you'd lean on to define the second-year big man from the University of Kentucky, do the Kings the favor of making a serious offer.
According to a couple of league insiders, Kings president Geoff Petrie, who insists Cousins is staying put, isn't exactly in the habit of picking up the phone and soliciting deals for players on his roster.
"You do that and you really destroy a player's market value," one source said. "They're not going to throw the baby out with the bath water. But if they're contacted and offered anything close to what they consider his value in a player who gives them less headaches, they'll probably jump on it."
The latest Cousins-inspired headache allegedly occurred when the 6-foot-11, 270-pounder embraced his role in the Kings' early-season drama by demanding to be traded. News of this trade-me outburst was supplied by Kings coach Paul Westphal, whose press-release explanation for going public included the following:
"Everything that happens on a team does not become known to the public. This is how it should be. However, when a player continually, aggressively lets it be known that he is unwilling/unable to embrace traveling in the same direction as his team, it cannot be ignored indefinitely.
"DeMarcus Cousins has demanded to be traded. In the best interest of our team as we go forward, he has been directed by me, with the support of management, to say home."
By having this statement delivered by the coach, the Kings made NBA followers aware of the lingering problem without putting the value-seeking personnel chief (Petrie) in an even more difficult negotiating squeeze.
Cousins, who reportedly was in relatively good, post-lockout shape while giving the Kings 13 points and 11 rebounds in 27 minutes per game, denies making any demands. After being told to stay home for Sunday's 96-80 win over New Orleans, Cousins was back in uniform for Tuesday's 13-point loss to Memphis, and came off the bench to give Sacramento four points (1-of-5 shooting) and eight rebounds in 22 minutes.
Another NBA source said the 21-year-old Cousins, chosen by the Kings with the fifth pick in the 2010 draft, has the tools to become an outstanding player. That's not exactly a revelation.
"That's why a lot of teams probably will make inquiries," he said. "It's human nature to think you'd be better at dealing with or reaching someone than others who have tried. Some GMs or coaches have enough ego, I guess, to take that chance. It just depends on how much another team is willing to give up for a player with a lot of problems. And there have been a lot of things go on with him (Cousins) that haven't even been reported.
"They (Kings) have done a lot to try helping him make the transition to the NBA."
That includes hiring Otis Hughley, who coached Cousins at LeFlore High in Mobile, Ala., as a Kings assistant coach before his rookie season. Even though Cousins averaged 14.1 points and 8.6 rebounds and offered flashes of vast potential, he demonstrated enough immaturity for observers to say the hire of the familiar face was a well-intentioned failure.
The problem list includes inconsistent effort, a scuffle with teammate Donte Greene, harsh words for coaches and body language that — loosely translated — say "I may be a waste of talent."
A third NBA source, who's been employed as a personnel executive for several years, doesn't think anything compelling will happen with Cousins . . . at least not now.
"Right now is the worst time to try trading him," the executive said. "It's no secret that DeMarcus has had some issues, and with everything going on now, they (Kings) wouldn't get anything near his value.
"So, they might as well see if he'll more or less conform to what the coaching staff wants or just not play him and let him sit . . . sort of like the (Houston) Rockets did with Tracy McGrady a few years ago. Oh, there'll be interest in him because he's talented. If he could, for example, land with a strong organization like San Antonio, that has Tim Duncan, and be absorbed into that culture, it might work out."
Based on body type, it's not difficult for us oldtimers to observe Cousins and think of former Clippers big man Benoit Benjamin. A more contemporary comparison is Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph. Both of those players had abundant talent (seriously, with a reasonable level of effort, Benoit could have killed it), but also had issues that negatively marked their early careers.
Randolph has turned the corner. It would be great for the Kings, their fans and watchdogs of basketball if Cousins did the same.
The personnel executive offered another interesting perspective.
"He (Cousins) supposedly is upset because he's on a team that doesn't win and he wants to be in a winning situation," the source said. "But he's also not good enough yet to help them (Kings) win. On a team that's rebuilding — and that's code for losing — it's a bad situation to have a player causing problems with so many young teammates, as well.
"And DeMarcus could be really good. He's not a great athlete . . . he's more of a skill guy. But, unlike someone like Dwight Howard whose game is built on ridiculous athleticism, he (Cousins) doesn't have to worry about an erosion of some wild ability to jump and run. Any slip due to age will be less obvious, because he'll still be a skill guy."
For now, the Kings will declare their intention to continue assisting his maturation process and hope he becomes a true difference-maker (to the good) on their young and talented squad. If a trade that makes sense materializes, don't be shocked to see Cousins moved.
What's the prudent move? Well, only the Kings know the level of Cousins' past and current tribulations; it's up to them to measure those chemistry-threatening factors against the potential of his on-court productivity and do what they feel is in the franchise's best interest.
Those who consider themselves pragmatists can remind the rest of us that winning is the deciding factor in professional sports. Although they often scream for character and decorum, most fans also don't care what happens behind the scenes . . . if their team wins.
Are NBA championships limited to teams with high-character players? It might depend on how you define high character, but no. A lot of guys who (at least) seem like jerks have championship rings. But there's a difference between what any of us might accept as solid citizenship and behavior that disrupts the progress of a collective.
Teams infected with the latter rarely, if ever, achieve ultimate victory.
