Kings GM Vlade Divac Says Team Had Better Offer For DeMarcus Cousins

While DeMarcus Cousins had long been a part of trade rumors, the deal that sent him packing from Sacramento was rather puzzling.

The Kings shipped the All-Star big man to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans and Langston Galloway, as well as a first and second-round pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.

The general consensus around the league is that Sacramento could have received more in a trade for Cousins. That line of thinking was validated Monday when Kings general manager Vlade Divac revealed the team had received a better offer for Cousins two days ago.

It’s bizarre that Divac would even admit to not striking a better deal, but the fact that the Kings settled for a trade of lesser value is telling. It’s evident now that the team did not view Cousins as a cornerstone of their future, and were willing to part ways with him for inadequate compensation.

This notion was furthered in the Kings’ press release of the trade, in which Divac appeared to label Cousins as a hindrance to the team’s culture.

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