A lot has changed since the Sacramento Kings traded DeMarcus Cousins. While the play of Buddy Hield and the 10th overall pick make it look much better for Sacramento, one still has to ask: Will this end up being the Isaiah Thomas trade Part 2?
Before we start giving ourselves bad flashbacks to the 2014 offseason, let’s look at what the Kings got in return first.
The Kings got a much better haul than they did in return for IT, and it’s not even close. Buddy Hield alone has made this a lopsided comparison to the haul Sacramento got for Thomas. Comparing a $7 million trade exception and Alex Oriakhi to a return of Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway, and the 10th overall pick in the 2017 draft is like comparing a Civic to a Porsche. It wouldn’t make sense to. The Kings, in hindsight, got a solid return for Cousins. While it would be near impossible to receive fair value for an All-NBA caliber player, the Kings did well.
A Positive Outlook for the Future
The Kings, unlike when they let Thomas walk, had a good prospect to take over for Cousins’ position. Willie Cauley-Stein showed himself to be a better player than we thought. When Thomas left, the Kings had no such player waiting in the wings at point guard.
The Kings also received a franchise cornerstone in Hield and the potential for another in the draft with this trade. The combo of WCS and Hield in addition to other young pieces and two top-ten draft picks gives the Kings a bright future.
We won’t soon be seeing a Kings-Warriors battle for the one seed, but we might soon see a Kings-Warriors playoff series.
The End of the Rebuild
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The Kings were still mired in the midst of another rebuild when they traded Thomas. This time around, after trading Cousins, the Kings appear to finally have a clear direction and fans can see the finish line of this rebuild in the distance.
The acquisition of Hield and a high draft pick show the Kings are fully committed to a fresh start. With Cauley-Stein and Skal Labissiere already in place, the commitment to the youth movement is apparent. The Kings are finally doing a rebuild right. A move which could see Sacramento back in the playoff picture sooner rather than later.
Closing Thoughts
The trade of Cousins could end up being one of the best moves the Kings have made. The return for Cousins was strong, the future of the team is bright and exciting, and there’s a new feeling in Sacramento hasn’t been felt in a long time. We can finally be excited about the future. If the Kings play the rebuild right, we’ll look back at the Cousins trade as what sparked it all.