Boston Celtics Rumors: Potential DeMarcus Cousins Deal Won’t Die
The Boston Celtics continue to be linked to Sacramento Kings star DeMarcus Cousins in a possible trade.
Okay, DeMarcus Cousins will probably end up in a Boston Celtics jersey…one of these days. The last time there was this much intrigue and rumors swirling about a player outside of Boston, Kevin Garnett eventually came walking through that door.
Not to compare Cousins to Garnett, but the 26-year-old has appeared to have become too much of a problem for the Kings. So much that “Inside the NBA” commentator and former Celtics player Shaquille O’Neal has indicated that the Kings may be “looking to go in a different direction,” meaning moving on from Cousins.
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The Celtics, who have been linked to Cousins since the days of Rajon Rondo, are the one team believed to have the assets to obtain the NBA All Star. With a couple intriguing and possibly high first-round picks from the Brooklyn Nets and one or more young players to offer, Celtics president of basketball operations could pull off the deal. But there could just be one problem and his name is Brad Stevens.
While linked as a reason a Cousins to Boston transition could work, ESPN’s Zach Lowe suggested that Boston’s young head coach does not want to deal with the character Cousins will bring to the team. During a recent podcast, Stevens said the following:
"“I don’t think Brad Stevens wants to touch DeMarcus Cousins with a 10-foot pole. And that carries a lot of weight (in Boston).”"
That doesn’t mean Ainge couldn’t convince Stevens that a deal would be tremendous for the team. Besides, point guard Isaiah Thomas has already made public that he feels DeMarcus Cousins would be a great fit in Boston. Take away the character issues and here’s the reason why.
Related Story: Isaiah Thomas Wants DeMarcus Cousins to Come to Boston
Cousins is the best offensive center in the NBA. He is averaging 28.7 points and 10.4 rebounds a game. After seeing the way Andre Drummond dominated inside against the Celtics, the big man would eliminate such games from opposing team’s centers.
More intriguing is pairing him in the front court alongside Al Horford. Cousins inside presence would allow Horford to play more of the stretch four. A bonus would be if Ainge could pull off any potential deal without giving up Jae Crowder or Avery Bradley.
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A starting lineup of Thomas, Bradley, Crowder, Horford and Cousins would make Brad Stevens smile and could be enough to cause LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers begin to worry. Hey, one could dream… right?