Lakers actively trying to acquire DeMarcus Cousins in trade with Kings.

SubZero · Post #1 » by **SubZero** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:14 pm

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/13131159/los-angeles-lakers-actively-trying-acquire-demarcus-cousins-trade-sacramento-kings

Marc Stein, ESPN Senior Writer

The Los Angeles Lakers have emerged as one of the most determined trade suitors for Sacramento Kings All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins, according to league sources.

Sources told ESPN that the Lakers have been actively pursuing trade scenarios in recent weeks in attempt to construct a deal that would convince the Kings to part with Cousins.

The Kings, though, continue to insist that Cousins is not available. The team's new lead decision-maker, Vlade Divac, told the Sacramento Bee in Sunday's editions that dealing away his best player "is not happening."

Sources say that the Lakers, Kings and Orlando Magic have had exploratory dialogue on a three-way Cousins trade that would land the 24-year-old in Los Angeles. All three teams hold top-6 picks in Thursday's NBA draft, and Orlando has a young top-flight center of its own in Nikola Vucevic, who could theoretically fill the Cousins void.

Yet since assuming control of the Kings' front office in April, Divac repeatedly has downplayed the idea of parting with Cousins, who has three seasons left on an extension he signed during the summer of 2013.

The Lakers would appear to have limited assets to get into the trade sweepstakes for Cousins -- in the event that Sacramento's stance changes -- beyond surrendering prized young big man Julius Randle and/or the No. 2 overall pick in Thursday's draft.

Orlando holds the fifth pick in the draft but would presumably expect a lot to be willing to part with Vucevic, who signed an extension of his own last October and has become the most consistently productive player from the four-team blockbuster trade in August 2012 that sent Dwight Howard from the Magic to the Lakers.

Divac, though, told the Bee in the recent interview that his preference is to "do something, a small move, before the draft."

"We have a lot of changes to make," said Divac, whose Kings hold the sixth overall pick Thursday night. "The league is much more up-tempo now and we need more 3-point shooting. If we don't get that in the draft, we'll be active in free agency and see about making trades later in the offseason."

ESPN reported in May after the Boston Celtics' first-round elimination that the Celtics planned to be at the front of the line in terms of trying to trade for Cousins this offseason.

The Denver Nuggets have also been increasingly mentioned as a likely trade suitor for him since the hiring of former Kings coach and Cousins favorite Mike Malone as their new coach. But Denver wouldn't appear to have the sort of trade assets to rival Boston's cache of future first-round picks, which tend to become especially handy when trying to assemble multi-team trades.

Spanish_Laker · Post #2 » by **Spanish_Laker** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:17 pm

If somehow we could acquire DeMarcus Cousins without losing the pick and then picking up DeAngelo Russell would be excellent. Maybe Randle + Clarkson would be enough to get him.

madtrap347 · Post #3 » by **madtrap347** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:20 pm

lol, i bet the kings are trying to pry the 2nd overall pick + randle/clarkson. it doesn't make sense for the kings to trade him for anything less. and it doesnt make sense for lakers to trade that much. no deal

SubZero · Post #4 » by **SubZero** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:23 pm

http://www.wickedjumpshot.com/vlade-divac-says-cousins-trade-not-happening/

As the draft week kicks off the big name on the trading rumor block is Kings big man, Demarcus Cousins. The Celtics have been on a ton of those rumors, but now the Lakers are starting to jump into that pond. New Kings VP Vlade Divac says the Sacramento franchise isn’t going to trade their All-Star center.

From the Sacramento Bee‘s Ailene Voisin:

“That is not happening,” Divac said forcefully, “but I would love to do something, a smaller move, before the draft. We have a lot of changes to make. The league is much more up-tempo now, and we need more three-point shooting. If we don’t get that in the draft, we’ll be active in free agency and see about making trades later in the offseason.

Now the rumor that hit today was that the Lake Show was looking to do a 3 team swap for Cousins that would include the Orlando Magic and big man, Nikola Vucevic.

Would the Lakers want to put this years #2 pick on the line for Cousins AND last years first round pick, Julius Randle? That seems like an awful like to throw in for Cousins considering his mental state doesn’t seem to always be 100%, or to put it mildly, he is considered a head case by most.

Post #5 » by **MadNESS** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:23 pm

Yes please.

Best center in the NBA.

Indy2LA · Post #6 » by **Indy2LA** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:24 pm

Nooooooooooo!

Jahlil Okafor > DeMarcus Cousins and it's not even close.

Would you trade a 19 year old Tim Duncan for DeMarcus Cousins?

Post #7 » by **Kilroy** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:26 pm

I think Ok4 will be better than Cousins, in less time than it took Cousins to pull his head out of his ass... Honestly not sure why everyone is so enamored with cousins.

Post #8 » by **dockingsched** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:29 pm

Personally I want the lakers to have nothing to do with Cousins

With that in mind it'll take #2, Randle and some change

Lakers get Cousins
Magic get #6, #27
Kings get #2, Randle, Vucevic

madtrap347 · Post #9 » by **madtrap347** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:31 pm

Kilroy wrote:I think Ok4 will be better than Cousins, in less time than it took Cousins to pull his head out of his ass... Honestly not sure why everyone is so enamored with cousins.

he is probably the only center in the NBA that constantly demands a double team. BUT he is such a hot head and not a team player. He is one of those players that will never win a championship with a team centered around him. He also can't attract any talent. I hope lakers are staying away unless its a pau gasol type of deal.

Post #10 » by **Kilroy** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:31 pm

dockingsched wrote:Personally I want the lakers to have nothing to do with Cousins

With that in mind it'll take #2, Randle and some change

Lakers get Cousins
Magic get #6, #27
Kings get #2, Randle, Vucevic

I agree, which is essentially going all-in for a guy that is at best, a 3rd option and leaving yourself with very little to build around him with...

We be watching "Cousins and Crap" for the forseeable future. Which is basically a double-negative.

Indy2LA · Post #11 » by **Indy2LA** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:32 pm

Kilroy wrote:I think Ok4 will be better than Cousins, in less time than it took Cousins to pull his head out of his ass... Honestly not sure why everyone is so enamored with cousins.

This!!!

Not saying Okafor is better now but it's more than potential. He's a sure thing in my opinion. Much smarter than Cousins. Higher capacity to learn and grow. Proven winner. Everything you want in a draft pick. DeMarcus is a great player but give me a break calling him the best center in the NBA. I thought this #2 pick was a no-brainer. WTF is Mitch doing? If it's Randle + 27th overall that would be fine by me. But you can't give up the #2 pick / Jahlil Okafor for DeMarcus Cousins.

Post #12 » by **dockingsched** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:35 pm

Kilroy wrote:
dockingsched wrote:Personally I want the lakers to have nothing to do with Cousins

With that in mind it'll take #2, Randle and some change

Lakers get Cousins
Magic get #6, #27
Kings get #2, Randle, Vucevic

I agree, which is essentially going all-in for a guy that is at best, a 3rd option and leaving yourself with very little to build around him with...

We be watching "Cousins and Crap" for the forseeable future. Which is basically a double-negative.

Eh, I dislike Cousins as much as anyone else but calling him at best a 3rd option is selling him REALLY short.

kblo247 · Post #13 » by **kblo247** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:39 pm

I would take cousins, who is proven at this level. People saying a guy who hasn't played in the pros and a guy who had two surgeries after 14 mins of real time are crazy

Randle, 2, 27, and 34 everyday ... Hell work Kelly in if you can to make even more room.

Give me Clarkson, Kobe, Cousins, Nick, Tarik, and the cap for Wade, Booz, Rondo, Barnes, and McGee everyday. That's a playoff team that can hide Scott's stupidity and attract KD next year

LApwnd · Post #14 » by **LApwnd** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:39 pm

Spanish_Laker wrote:If somehow we could acquire DeMarcus Cousins without losing the pick and then picking up DeAngelo Russell would be excellent. Maybe Randle + Clarkson would be enough to get him.

You have a slim to none chance if you don't think sac will want#2

LApwnd · Post #15 » by **LApwnd** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:42 pm

How do we fill in the rest of the team if we're giving sac everything and the kitchen sink? Which still doesn't seem enough to get sac interested? Thus is another movev that's gona blow up in their faces

SubZero · Post #16 » by **SubZero** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:43 pm

Kilroy wrote:I think Ok4 will be better than Cousins, in less time than it took Cousins to pull his head out of his ass... Honestly not sure why everyone is so enamored with cousins.

Agreed.

Also, I want Mitch to keep in tact the young trio of Clarkson/Randle/Okafor to see what they can do. Then in time, move them if we need to. We haven't seen what they can do yet, but I believe they will thrive together and eventually be the players we build around for the future.

I know it's the Lakers and it's the way it has always been, with the fact we always go after big names in FAs, trades, etc., but for now I want to stop with all that nonsense. I mean it's def nice that we are one of the best franchises in all of sports and a desirable destinations for stars and Laker fans want every season to be a championship season..

BUT for once I actually want us to try and develop our own talent a la OKC (w/ KD, Russ) and GSW (w/ Curry, Klay, Green, Barnes). We have a shot to do that with Clarkson, Randle, Okafor (Tarik Black is good young piece too, not that he's gonna be a star or anything, but I think he'll be a very good role player). Then with that we can add in FAs around that talent.

It'd be a process if we do what I just stated, and we won't win right away obviously.. But I like our pieces a lot and don't wanna give up on em so quickly, so I'd be on board if we take this route (I actually hope we do lol)..

Just my two cents..

LApwnd · Post #17 » by **LApwnd** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:48 pm

Sac has had better talent than us for the past 2years.....not saying its his fault but is cousin #s any different then love 26/15 avg with consistently losing records with minn?

Optms · Post #18 » by **Optms** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:49 pm

Indy2LA wrote:Nooooooooooo!

Jahlil Okafor > DeMarcus Cousins and it's not even close.

Would you trade a 19 year old Tim Duncan for DeMarcus Cousins?

LOL

Wait, is this post serious?

SubZero · Post #19 » by **SubZero** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:51 pm

This is interesting though.. we get Cousins & the 6th pick..

[tweet]https://twitter.com/Probballdraft/status/613097390527025152[/tweet]

So potentially a front court have Winslow, Randle, Cousins..

LApwnd · Post #20 » by **LApwnd** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:56 pm

lakesh0w wrote:This is interesting though.. we get Cousins & the 6th pick..

[tweet]https://twitter.com/Probballdraft/status/613097390527025152[/tweet]

So potentially a front court have Winslow, Randle, Cousins..

Way way to good for la