Both DeMarcus Cousins and Sacramento Kings have developed a love and hate relationship for seven seasons. The Kings need Cousins, a highly talented player to bring the team into the playoffs. However, his temperament is a trouble to manage and hinder him to shine brighter.
The NBA has been very cautious of his behavior and in some cases have provoked him to become more vicious. The recent incident which was noted by FOX Sports was in the game against Chicago Bulls on Monday, Jan. 23.
In the final minute of the game, Chicago Bulls shooting guard Dwyane Wade made a steal and attempted to dunk after a fast break but failed. Cousins was running behind him and didn't try to contest the dunk. However, the game officials made a controversial foul for Cousins. The Bulls won the game 102-99. Later on, NBA annulled the decision in the "Last Two Minute Report" which was designed for transparency in official's evaluation.
Many NBA writers, columnists, and analysts acknowledge his talent and his skill as reported by Sacramento Bee. He is the one that Sacramento Kings can expect to bring the Kings into the playoff zone. Currently, Sacramento Kings ranked 10th position in the Western Conference with 18-27 record.
In order to enter the playoffs, they need to surpass Portland Trailblazers and Denver Nuggets that sit in ninth and eighth positions with 20-27 and 20-25 records respectively. This will be difficult tasks for the Kings, considering their inconsistencies, as they have lost seven of their last 10 games.
The Kings have been failing over and over to enter the playoffs since 2007. They brought Cousins as the fifth pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, hoping the 6'11" center would be able to bring them into the playoffs. However, after seven years, the hope is in vain.
Recently, the 26-year old player aimed to seek a maximum contract extension with Sacramento Kings, as his $62 million and four-year contract which he signed in 2013 will expire after the 2016-17 season. There is no official announcement from the Kings regarding the contract extension with Cousins.
Watch the incident during the game against Lakers on Nov. 10 when Cousins and Lakers power forward Julius Randle exchanged words:
