It’s Time For the Sacramento Kings to Shut Down Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins
By Kareem Gantt
The Sacramento Kings are once again looking ahead to New York, where the NBA Draft Lottery will commence. So with the playoffs a distant memory and Sacramento mired in a losing funk that they can’t snap out of, it’s time for the Kings to do the logical – shut down Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins.
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I know, I know this is not a popular option, but it is time for the Kings to think about next year. There is no need for Sacramento to risk serious injury to their two most important players with so little to play for, so why not give them the rest of the season off so they can rest, recuperate and get fresh for 2015-16?
The decision to sit Cousins should be easy, as he was out of the line-up in Wednesday’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, and he is questionable for tonight’s home game against the Charlotte Hornets. Cousins shouldn’t be listed as questionable, he should be ruled out indefinitely.
The same goes for Gay.
Rudy is coming off of an injury he suffered during a game in Philadelphia, and it makes no sense to keep him on the court and risk him doing further damage to his body. It would be different if Sacramento was in the middle of a playoff chase, but the Kings are playing for next season and has nothing to lose. Might as well allow one of your best players to rest his various injuries.
Again, I know this option doesn’t sit well with Kings Nation, but ask yourselves, what does the Kings stand to lose from resting their two stars? Not a single thing; in fact, the Kings have everything to gain by shutting them down for good.
Karl will finally get to see what the rest of his roster is capable off; Ben McLemore would get the opportunity to develop consistency, and the team would have an opportunity to play true spoilers and underdogs to teams with postseason aspirations.
So come on Kings, do the right thing and shut Boogie and Gay down for the rest of the year.