The Atlanta Hawks saw the departure of Al Horford in the NBA offseason as onetime Los Angeles Lakers star Dwight Howard took his place. However, it looks like health problems are now making the Dennis Schroder squad think twice about their move. Hence, it comes as no surprise that a DeMarcus Cousins trade is said to be in the works - one that could potentially extend to a max contract.
The relationship between the Sacramento Kings and DeMarcus Cousins has been rocky to say the least. Both parties have been feeling increasingly dissatisfied with each other. Sports analysts and league sources noted that this NBA season is crucial for the Sacramento Kings. That is, the Rudy Gay squad must prove how they can become a championship contender to keep DeMarcus Cousins from bolting.
"They're fooling themselves if they think he's sticking around," revealed a league executive, referring to DeMarcus Cousins and the Sacramento Kings. The unnamed source added, "The good news for them is his value will always be high. There isn't a point of no return in which you're not getting high value for him. Teams will bid against each other in the trade market. Maybe [Cousins] doesn't go for the biggest money in free agency but you'd love to have that card to play."
With the Atlanta Hawks swooping in, though, it looks like the timeline for the Sacramento Kings to convince DeMarcus Cousins of their plans just got shorter. In the past NBA season, the Kyle Korver team had shown an impressive potential in the Eastern Conference making the likes of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love from the Cleveland Cavaliers nervous getting into the playoffs with them. Will the former Al Horford squad manage to convince DeMarcus Cousins to sign with them?
Rumors are rife that not everyone in the Atlanta Hawks management is convinced with the recent contract with former Houston Rockets star Dwight Howard. The rumored dislike for the big man was made worse when Al Horford allegedly left because of him. Now, the Atlanta Hawks are speculated to be looking into ways to salvage the situation. Will a DeMarcus Cousins trade save the day?
The answer remains uncertain. At this point, no official comment has been released by the parties involved. Right now, DeMarcus Cousins is still anticipated to lead the Sacramento Kings in the 2016-17 NBA season. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks are training hard with Dwight Howard, Kyle Korver and Dennis Schroder at the helm.
What do you think? Should the Atlanta Hawks push for a DeMarcus Cousins trade? Or will Dwight Howard prove to be the right fit for the Kyle Korver squad?