NBA Rumors: DeMarcus Cousins Headed To The Pelicans?

Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA trade deadline is only a few days away with teams having until Feb. 23 to get deals completed. Although there’s plenty of trade speculation swirling around the league involving notable players like Jimmy Butler and Carmelo Anthony, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical dropped a potential bombshell ahead of the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday.

According to Wojnarowski, the Sacramento Kings could be open to trading All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins before the deadline:

After promising DeMarcus Cousins privately and publicly that he wouldn’t be moved before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, the Sacramento Kings were engaging in discussions on unloading the All-Star center, league sources told The Vertical.

Interestingly enough, not only is Cousins potentially up for grabs but the New Orleans Pelicans may be on the verge of creating arguably the most talented frontcourt in the league, via Wojnarowski:

Talks have included the New Orleans Pelicans in recent days, league sources told The Vertical.

Davis, who is widely considered to be an elite player in the NBA, would be paired with arguably the best player in the league at the center position. Cousins has improved his game every year since being drafted out of Kentucky by the Kings back in 2010 and took his game to the next level this season by expanding his skills beyond the arc.

The combination of these two legitimate stars could instantly make the Pelicans a force to be reckoned with in the Western Conference for many years to come. The only issue the team may have if the trade comes to fruition is depth, and lack of draft picks moving forward.

Other than initial issues with depth, the Pelicans could be an appealing free-agent destination with Cousins and Davis in the long-term plans. This move would signal a complete rebuilding effort by Sacramento and a total game-changer for New Orleans.