During the last couple of years with the Sacramento Kings, things had become quite rocky between All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins and the front office.
Despite that, general manager Vlade Divac told Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee that it was difficult for him to trade the star big man to the New Orleans Pelicans.
“This was hard for me,” Divac said recently. “DeMarcus, he has so much talent. Off the court he does so many good things in the community. He should be a role model for everybody in that sense. But we are trying to build an organization that does things the right way. So, hey, we move on.”
Things had reached a point of impasse between both sides that had become a toxic situation. On top of that, the Kings were backed into the position potentially having to pay Cousins a long-term extension north of $200 million.
All of forced Divac's hand to move Cousins before the potentially lost his services for nothing on the free agent market. It may not have been the haul that many anticipated the Kings could get from Cousins, who is widely regarded as being one of the most talented big men in the league, but it has allowed the organization to reset with a new young core group in place.
Ultimately, the Kings' had to make a business decision and move on from the 27-year-old to switch up the downward direction of the franchise.
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