In a Twitter exchange with Sactown Sports 1140’s Carmichael Dave, former Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins expressed a desire to return to Sacramento.
Would love to help sac get back to the playoffs 🙏🏿
— DeMarcus Cousins (@boogiecousins) November 9, 2022
Boogie fans have hoped for many years that the last Kings All-Star would someday return to the Kings, but it always seemed like an unlikely reunion given Cousins’ well-documented disdain for the organization that traded him away. Cousins has always separated his disdain for the organization from his love of the city and Kings fans. It seems that time, and perhaps desperation for a final shot at the NBA, have softened Boogie’s views on wearing the purple and black again.
But would it actually make sense for the Kings?
Pros
DeMarcus Cousins, for all his flaws, has never stopped being a productive NBA center. On a per-minute basis, Cousins scores and rebounds just as well as he always has. He’s also a prolific passer. Cousins’ combination of skills as a backup center would allow the Kings to run a very similar offense to what they run with Domantas Sabonis, even when Sabonis sits. Cousins obviously is not, at this point in his career, as good as Sabonis but would be a reasonable facsimile to maintain a similar offensive play style.
This could be a boost for the Kings, as they’ve struggled in minutes without Sabonis on the floor. Despite a plethora of options at center, the Kings still appear to need help. Alex Len is a serviceable backup but by no means exceptional. Richaun Holmes has had a terrible start to the season and thrives in a pick-and-roll system the Kings currently aren’t running. Chimezie Metu was serviceable in short lineups, especially since he stopped taking ill-advised threes, but can’t hold up against larger opposing centers. There are a myriad of ways Boogie is a clear upgrade over the Kings existing backup centers, at least based on how they’ve played to start the season.
Cons
The downsides with DeMarcus Cousins are, unfortunately, the same as they’ve always been. The first issue is defense. Multiple injuries have made Cousins much slower than he was, and Cousins was never a nimble defender to begin with. The Kings have struggled with defense, and Cousins wouldn’t solve those problems.
The second, and much larger concern, is the locker room impact. Boogie’s reputation has followed him in his journey throughout the league, and at a certain point it’s hard to believe it isn’t earned. Last year was a nice comeback year for Cousins as he latched on with the Denver Nuggets and his former Kings coach Michael Malone. But even the stop in Denver wasn’t without issue. And after a productive run for the Nuggets, Denver made no effort to bring Cousins back.
I’d be very nervous about Boogie disrupting the locker room vibes of a Kings team that seems to get along really well.
The Unknown
The wild card here is the opinions of the Kings coaching staff. Mike Brown was an assistant coach with the Warriors during Boogie’s stint in Golden State. Jordi Fernandez was an assistant with the Nuggets last season. They both have firsthand experience coaching Cousins. I would hope that the front office would heavily weigh the opinions of the coaching staff before making such a move.
***
Adding DeMarcus Cousins would be a risk, but it’s a risk that could improve the team. I won’t be upset if the Kings pass on Cousins’ interest, but I’d quickly talk myself into being hopeful for a redemption story if Cousins came back.
No. That is all.
Oh boy!
Can’t bring Napes back too.
This is interesting. DMC has skills but is his head on straight? or would this be a circus.
His D is terrible, he does not rim protect but he can pass and rebound. And he still has low post moves.
I think management, coaches AND players need to buy in. Some fans will, some will not.
Where is his value- ? would he have had a positive impact in any of the previous 10 games?
Kings want to run. Can he rebound better than any of the back ups?
Can he get down court to set up in the high post?
He’d be the oldest player on the roster, so Delly would probably be OK with it.
The Dubs , Fakers , Nuggs and other former teams have passed at vet minimum . Likely a reason .
The players all seem to get along.
Risk > Reward. The merciful forgiver in me is open to it, but Boogie’s reputation is earned. The Kings seem to have very good chemistry right now, if nothing else. Boogie could disrupt that, and I don’t think backup center is a critical-enough need to take on that risk.
It would sure give us a better relationship with the refs!
Hell to the YES!
So much fun. A great story of redemption.
Technical fouls
Headband throwing.
Keegan gets fired up.
Cousins bullies opponents and throws down. Team gets tougher.
A risky move worth taking.
Go for it.
Boogie Down!
P.S. This team ain’t gonna make playoffs. They ain’t it. Maybe a 10 seed on a good day. So damn well try something
I believe you
I’m surprised to hear this from you Mr. SexyNapear
Nah, he’s washed.
If a well run organization with a coach who knows and loves him let him go and no other team has picked him up so far, that seems like a good indication that he’s not worth the risk.
Bring back Isaiah, Tyreke, and Salmons as well!
Bagley???
I would prefer Bagley over Cousins. He will sit on the bench therefore not do anything to impact the team.
Cousins will actually walk on the floor and piss everybody off.
Years ago, I quit watching the Kings because of DeMarcus Cousins. Even though I enjoy this team, I will not stomach this organization to the extent I have if they are stupid enough to think this go-around with Cousins would be any different.
Frankly I think it’s a player desperate for a job talking with a well known local talk show host and it’s just hot air. I’d be rather surprised were Cousins to be brought around. And I’ll promptly quit the Kings again. I’m never watching anything remotely related to DeMarcus Cousins and the Sacramento Kings ever again.
But….I’ve been surprised before. You just never know.
Agree, but only Vivek could think this could be a positive and that is scary .
You know, there aren’t any examples I can actually think of where Vivek made the FO do something. This would be one of those times.
Well done sir.
Uh, sure, that’s a good example of why the Kings could sign DeMarcus Cousins. NOT!!!!
“You know, there aren’t any examples I can actually think of where Vivek made the FO do something.”
Copy and pasted from yourself. You did not relate it to why the Kings could sign Demarcus.
Didn’t think I needed to write it in crayon like the majority of posters are in 4th grade. Apparently I do.
You should try crayon. Ween yourself off of copy paste.
You are all over the place. Nothing really ties together.
So Vivek has never directed any decisions?
That’s the best you can come up with?
Rough night Guru, it’s ok. You’ll be back.
When does he actually meddle with basketball decisions? Sim Bhullar? Royce White? That’s the best examples you got?
I’m not a Vivek Ranadive fan, and I think his stewardship from a basketball standpoint has largely been negative. But I think the biggest sin he’s committed is trusting the wrong people.
Ego.
?
No- please no . I enjoy this team and have hope for improvement .
Pass. There is a reason he isn’t on a roster at the moment. Attitude issues aside, he’s unfortunately not the player he once was. Injures have just taken their toll.
It also makes zero sense to sign another center when you have one riding the bench, fresh off a DNP/CD, who also happens to be making starting center money. Play Holmes and hope he returns to form.
If you can get him for the minimum, he remains a big, skilled body to shore up bigs against long teams like Cleveland. I’m not worried about him being a problem; he’s matured, and we have a far better system in place that demands accountability.
DMC runs the high post superbly, and is a great passer. If it doesn’t work out, it won’t be a big deal.
It seemed as though the Denver situation was perfect for Cousins. Re-united with Malone, caddy to Jokic. And yet the Nugs determined that $1.8m for DeAndre Jordan was preferable to bringing Cousins back. That is a red flag for me, along with the fact that he went unsigned this off-season.
http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1234531/flagofcuz.jpg
Please define this system that demands accountability?
His unlikability aside, he seems like a low-risk and low- to mid-reward opportunity.
The games would be harder to watch, but is he better than what the Kings have right now?
High risk, low reward . He would make the defense worse and ruin any chemistry .
I think any player that you can release five seconds after he does something you don’t like is automatically low risk, but your mileage may differ.
Yes, if we get free gifts
drafting for fit?
I see what you did there…
hopefully strong and does not break
Oh cum on!
Prick and roll.
Thanks, but no thanks. Including Metu, the Kings have three centers on the bench already, with two of them getting DNP-CD on a nightly basis. A fifth one would be very poor asset management, without improving the team much (I’d guess it’s an upgrade offensively, but a bigger downgrade defensively).
(I hope Queta gets a shot soon if Holmes continues to struggle)
Don’t do it, he is poison to a team atmosphere! He will alienate Huerter as he did Jimmer. Kevin grew up and played highschool ball about 30 miles from Jimmer. Cousins hated Jimmer because of all the attention Jimmer got from the Kings fanbase. No Techinal Foul Cousins for this team
Please don’t release an article like this while some of us are eating.
Sounds like begging for a job.
Yeah but instead how about ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..Stauskas?
Good god no! What the… ? I mean… how is this even a question? Who would support this idea? And WHY? What good comes from this? I am flabbergasted at this question.
Off Topic thought:
Other than Fox and DeMarcus, has any other Kings draft pick lasted more than 3 seasons? Will Davion Mitchell make it that far?
How far back are you going? Jason Thompson, WCS, Marvin Bagley?
The Reign of King Vivek
NO!
Boogie’s Life (attitude) Matters
GhostMalone will kick his ass out of practice a second time if he refuses to run
I was a big Boogie fan but that ship has sailed. Coach Brown is working hard to create a new culture here and if Cuz is still just 10% of the locker room cancer he was it isn’t worth it. His skills have diminished and if I have to endure one more 5 second argument with the refs I think I would puke. We already have 2.5 semi useless 5’s we don’t need another.
This has to be the season the Queta gets enough burn to show he belongs on the Kings roster or not. We don’t need another big body blocking his way. If vivek gets desperate to bring Cuz back, bring him back on a 10 day in January.
YES! YES! A Thousand times yes! Kill the fatted calf! The prodigal has returned! #BoogieBacktoSac
This has to be a joke article, and a bad one at that. Why don’t we bring back Shumpert too while we’re at it.
Cousins to his ex:
So I’m a no.
With the knowledge that the Kings have proven repeatedly that they don’t care about domestic violence, I don’t think they do it because it doesn’t help them, and puts Holmes even further down the bench.
I will give Cousins credit for asking Grant Napear who he is, and Napear telling him.
Anybody who comments on this thread should be thrown out! Oh Wait!
I appreciate Greg taking the time to write an article about our beloved Kings. Just not this subject. I’m a no. We might have something good going with the team and Cousins is not going to make it better. He can certainly make it worse. Give me some Queta time and see if he is ever going to be a rotational player.
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