Kings reportedly agree to trade DeMarcus Cousins to Pelicans

By Nunzio Ingrassia
Published

DeMarcus Cousins’ time in Sacramento appears to be over. The Kings agreed to trade the All-Star center to the New Orleans Pelicans for rookie swingman Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway, a future first-round and a future second-round pick, according to multiple reports Sunday.

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Cousins, who played just two minutes in Sunday’s All-Star Game, now joins a Pelicans team that features fellow big man All-Star and former Kentucky Wildcat Anthony Davis, who scored an All-Star record 52 points Sunday.

Cousins, who is averaging 27.8 points and 10.6 rebounds this season, spent the first six-plus seasons with the Kings, who drafted the former University of Kentucky star fifth overall in 2010. But Cousins has clashed with the front office and coaching staff during his time in Sacramento, which apparently thought it was time to move on from the three-time All-Star.



Pairing Cousins and Davis give the Pelicans, who are currently 11th in the West, the latest dominant big man tandem in NBA history. But will the duo succeed in the current landscape of the NBA, which has become heavily prevalent on smaller lineups and more 3-point shooting?

Hield, who was drafted sixth overall in 2016, is averaging 8.6 points and 2.9 rebounds this season. Evans, who is averaging a career-worst 9.5 points per game, and Galloway have come off the bench every game they've played this season.