NBA Trade Rumors: DeMarcus Cousins To Wizards, Bradley Beal To Kings

Basketball

DeMarcus Cousins and NBA trade rumors have been inseparable over the last few weeks, but so far, no deal has transpired. According to the latest buzz, a new team has entered the fray as a possible destination for the Kings’ embattled big man.

Yibada has reported that the Washington Wizards may now be courting Cousins, and a trade that sends shooting guard Bradley Beal to Sacramento for their star center is being considered. The Wizards recently signed Beal to a max contract worth $127 million over five years, but now that the on-court rift between him and backcourt mate John Wall has become public, Washington may be looking to make a change if they can bring a tremendous talent on board (such as DeMarcus Cousins) in exchange for Beal.

The first thing that should be noted regarding this NBA trade rumor is that Bradley Beal is not eligible for an immediate trade due to signing a new contract in July, so this deal with the Sacramento Kings cannot happen right away. However, it could happen shortly after the season begins if the parties involved are still interested in swapping their star players for one another.

The Sacramento Kings need help at several positions, and shooting guard is one spot where a talent like Bradley Beal would be a welcome addition. Beal would likely be the number one scoring option on the team, with Arron Afflalo moving to the bench to lead the second unit. Willie Cauley-Stein and Kosta Koufos would play most of the minutes at power forward and center. The Kings would still have plenty of roster holes to fill, but they would be rid of Cousins’ erratic attitude and behavior in exchange for Beal, a budding superstar in his own right.

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This proposed trade looks okay from the Kings’ standpoint, although it doesn’t appear to make them markedly better. The Washington Wizards, on the other hand, would not benefit at all from this deal.

When examining the Wizards roster, trading Bradley Beal for a frontcourt player would leave the shooting guard position to Jarell Eddie and Marcus Thornton, which would be a serious downgrade for Washington. DeMarcus Cousins is a rare talent at center, but the team already has incumbent Marcin Gortat and newly-signed free agent Ian Mahinmi. Frankly, the last thing the Wizards need is another center, particularly since they need help at other positions.

DeMarcus Cousins not only carries the label of malcontent, but he is also expected to leave Sacramento when his current contract expires, as detailed by NESN. The Kings have good reason to consider a deal for Cousins despite his high-level production on the court. Cousins has made the NBA All-Star team the past two seasons, averaging 26.9 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game in 2015-16. He is one of the most talented players in the NBA, but the mental and emotional baggage he carries seems to get in the way of any team success he and the Kings might have had during his six years in Sacramento.

Bradley Beal has not made an NBA All-Star team in his first four NBA seasons, but that appears to be a matter of time. Beal is one of the top long-range shooters in the game today, hitting an impressive 39.7 percent of his career three-point attempts. He boasts career per-game averages of 16.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists. Bradley Beal is on the cusp of becoming one of the elite shooting guards in the league, but he will have to do so in order to live up to the monster contract he just signed with the Wizards.

The latest NBA trade rumors are floating the idea of a DeMarcus Cousins-for-Bradley Beal exchange. This hypothetical deal might be a slight plus for the Kings, but it seems to make no sense for the Wizards. What do you think of this rumored swap between Washington and Sacramento?

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