NBA Trade Rumors: DeMarcus Cousins & Russell Westbrook To Spurs? Trade Happening In 2018 Free Agency?

Recent rumors are claiming that the San Antonio Spurs is eyeing superstars from the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Sacramento Kings. Reports are saying that those talents are Russell Westbrook and DeMarcus Cousins, and it will happen in the summer of 2018.

NBA analyst Arthur Hill wrote on Hoops Rumors that the Spurs would likely acquire top free agents in 2018, which is a time when both Cousins and Westbrook will be available in the free agency market. The Spurs will still use its starting point guard, Tony Parker, in the upcoming NBA season, but there's a strong chance that they will look for replacements for the point guard position in the coming years.

Parker, who will turn 36 in the summer of 2018, will be a free agent by that time. He may retire when that time comes, or he can play for the Spurs in a reduced role. Parker's backup, Patty Mills, is stepping into free agency next summer, while it remains to be seen whether rookie Dejounte Murray will show progress.

If the latter doesn't push through, the Spurs would have to set their sights on another successful point guards such as Westbrook and Cousins. Westbrook re-signed another contract with OKC, but the 27-year-old talent has a player option in his third year, meaning he has the freedom to consider free agency in 2018.

Cousins, on the other hand, can finally leave the Kings if the team doesn't do well in the upcoming NBA 2016-17 season. The 26-year-old power forward and center can hit free agency with the Spurs if he gets unsatisfied with the Kings again.

Cousins' talent -- evidently seen in his seven-year career in the Kings -- is undeniable. The downside is he can be a headache, and it's up to new Sacramento coach Dave Joerger to sort Cousins out and further improve his gameplay.

A Western Conference assistant coach said that Cousins' issue is "more on the floor," Sporting News reported. "Getting him to change there, that's the big question. He's got to do what he's good at, and stop trying to do everything else," the coach continued.

As for the Spurs, the team needs a re-tooling now that their most important players are nearing retirement. Manu Ginobili and Pau Gasol are almost in the final years of their NBA league career, and the Spurs needs new talents to supplement their stars LaMarcus Aldrige and Kawhi Leonard in the court.

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