NBA Trade Rumors & News: DeMarcus Cousins Nearly Traded By George Karl; Kings Swapping Cousins With Either Celtics Or Spurs?

It was recently confirmed that George Karl tried to trade DeMarcus Cousins when he was still serving as the head coach of the Sacramento Kings. The news was revealed by Vivek Ranadivé, resident owner of the Kings.

"You know, look, George had tried to trade Cousins that whole summer, and there was not a lot of love between those two, and so there was tension there. So that was not a new thing," said Ranadivé, as reported by RealGM. Karl was fired from the Kings after the NBA 2015-16 season, with Dave Joerger replacing him.

Cousins, meanwhile, is signed with the Kings until the 2017-18 season. However, there are speculations that the 26-year-old power forward and center would hit free agency after that period if he feels unfulfilled with the Kings again. There are rumors that the San Antonio Spurs is looking to sign Cousins, Parent Herald previously reported.

Cousins' talent on the court is undeniable, though he can be a headache at times. It remains to be seen whether Joerger can break through to him and improve his gameplay.

An assistant coach at the Western Conference that Cousins' problem occurs 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 added.

Kings General Manager Vlade Divac previously said that the team isn't planning on trading Cousins, who's currently the face of the franchise. Ranadivé, however, isn't entirely certain that Cousins won't be traded to another team.

He said that it's up to the GM and Joerger to decide whether Cousins gets traded or not. Ranadivé added that he sees Cousins as "a young guy who wants to win, and has actually matured," Fox Sports reported.

The Kings lacks valuable players, though there are young talents such as Ben McLemore and Willie Cauley-Stein, according to Sportsrageous. It's highly likely that the team would have lottery selections once more in the 2016-17 season.

Trading Cousins for young prospects and future picks may be the best choice for the Kings. They could trade Cousins for the Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown and future first round picks. Speculations claimed that this package would be sufficient to get Cousins to the Celtics.

Should Cousins be traded or remain as the Kings' most valuable talent? Tell us your thoughts below and be sure to follow Parent Herald for the latest NBA news and trade rumors.