Cousins to Lakers

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VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#34
I could rationalize rooting for DMC when he was on the Warriors. It was tough but I found a way. I cannot root for him on the Lakers. DMZ is officially dead to me for however long he remains in LA.

On a related note? Bricklayer is no longer an active member of this forum. It's astounding how much space he occupies in some folk's minds. If he wants to return, he will. Until then, talking about him (just like talking about ANY former member who is no longer around), is contrary to our long-standing policy. If he is Winsome Gerbil, people can feel free to interact with him at realGM, although why anyone would bother with that site is beyond my ability to comprehend.
 
#36
Boogie has lost me with this decision. As hard as it was, I rooted for him to succeed on GSW. I can’t do that anymore. Eff him for choosing that sorry @$$ franchise. He can go kick rocks now. He knows better.
 

SLAB

Hall of Famer
#38
I could rationalize rooting for DMC when he was on the Warriors. It was tough but I found a way. I cannot root for him on the Lakers. DMZ is officially dead to me for however long he remains in LA.
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At this point, sadly, it’s slim pickings for him. I harbor zero grudge, except for 4 games this upcoming season.

Hopefully it’s just a one-year, returns to even 70% of what he used to be, and gets at least a respectable payday next offseason.
 

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
#39
not surprising to say the least. Boogie is officially in ring chasing mode and at the same time in a trial phase to prove he still belongs on a team and isn't just jumping from team to team.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#40
not surprising to say the least. Boogie is officially in ring chasing mode and at the same time in a trial phase to prove he still belongs on a team and isn't just jumping from team to team.
Oh please. The latter part of your statement I'll agree with but to call him a ring chaser is just not right.
 

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
#44
A non-existent market. (This year)

A calculated, though ultimately failed, risk. (Last year)
hard to imagine it getting any better next season when there won't be as many teams with the capspace we've witnessed this summer. If he goes down with another injury, he might as well start packing his bags and look to play overseas.
 

SLAB

Hall of Famer
#45
hard to imagine it getting any better next season when there won't be as many teams with the capspace we've witnessed this summer. If he goes down with another injury, he might as well start packing his bags and look to play overseas.
If he stays healthy enough, 60-70% of what he was, someone will give him something.

Another injury will just be another small contract. Dwight Howard is still managing to bounce around, so will Boogie.
 
#46
If he stays healthy enough, 60-70% of what he was, someone will give him something.

Another injury will just be another small contract. Dwight Howard is still managing to bounce around, so will Boogie.
It's not only that. It's his attitude on the court and in the locker room. Teams care about that now. Look at all these teams paying more to lesser players with less baggage. We looked past his attitude because he was great in the court and in the community but without elite play on the court and no ties to a new community, new teams wont look past it like us.
 
#47
No one else was trying to sign him. I won’t begrudge our son for wanting to play the game he loves.
If Boogie had no other choices for the same amount of money, then I agree. But if he chose Lebron's Lakers over other comparable choices, then he sucks. That would suggest that he chose the Warriors last season for the same reason: he wants a ring, even if he's not a key part of the team.
 
#49
Apparently Miami was in the mix but it was AD that recruited Cousins, basically saying they have unfinished business from NO. Reality is he didn't have a lot of options and he didn't choose to take a pay cut to chase a ring. I can see AD's pitch meaning a lot to Boogie given how much he values loyalty and doesn't have a rep as the easiest guy to get along with in the NBA. Not going to begrudge him for this but I sure as hell won't root for him. But with any luck he gets a bidder next year in the Eastern conference.
 
#50
DeMarcus Cousins just signed a one year deal for $3.5 million. The same DeMarcus Cousins who was in line for a supermax deal just a couple of years ago.

I definitely hate that he's now a Laker but it's been pretty widely reported that there simply was no market for him. I never believed that the Spurs had any real interest. Beyond not necessarily being a good fit for a team that already has spacing issues on offense I just can't see Pop at the end of his career wanting to coach Boogie. The only other rumor was that Miami might be interested. It's hard for me to call Boogie a ring chaser when he fired his agent this off-season, presumably because he was unable to get him offers.

From the time DMC was an all-star for the Kings there were reports that many teams had him on a no-trade, no-sign list. I remember being angry at what Vlade got in return for him from the Pelicans and wondering why Boston (among others) didn't put together a stronger offer. As it turns out, Danny Ainge simply had no interest even at what I saw as pennies on the dollar. And that was back when he was playing incredible basketball. Now that he's older with an Achilles tear in his past there is even less interest.

All that to say that I can't really begrudge the guy for joining the Lakers. Just as with everyone complaining last year that it was unfair that he signed on the cheap with the Warriors, my only thought is: then why didn't anyone else sign him? I mean, Ivica Zubac and Boban Marjonavic were prioritized by teams over Cousins.

I can't root for the Lakers. I can't. And I never will. But I may root for Cousins to have a good season. Because if he doesn't I think his career is more or less over after this year. Both he and Isaiah Thomas were in line for huge contracts only to have injuries completely derail their careers. And I never wanted to see that. In Cousin's case, his attitude issues always clouded his on-court brilliance and now if he can't regain some of his past form those same attitude issues (along with a changing NBA) will mean that teams won't want to bother with him.

As much as I struggled with Boogie as a King at times I don't want to see that happen to a guy who was once so amazing and who should be in the middle of his prime.
 
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kingsboi

Hall of Famer
#52
If he stays healthy enough, 60-70% of what he was, someone will give him something.

Another injury will just be another small contract. Dwight Howard is still managing to bounce around, so will Boogie.
maybe if he gets another injury he won't have the desire to stick around? Dwight's bouncing around because he has to pay his baby mama for the 12 or maybe more? amount of kids paying alimony.
 
#53
it is such a shame when player with huge talent, does not fulfill it..

problem with Cousins was that he was never a player you could build franchise around.. even when he put up great numbers, he was never a player that could be cornerstone for future.. he never had head for that..

now market is super small for him.. teams that have money, do not want to offer him, because if they rebuild he is not role model they want for a team, or if they want PO push, question is can he really help him..

best thing he can hope is to play a good season, without injuries, and than some team from East that wants PO gives him money.. he has decent chance, as first and second option in LAL will not play all 82 games I believe..
 
#54
DeMarcus Cousins just signed a one year deal for $3.5 million. The same DeMarcus Cousins who was in line for a supermax deal just a couple of years ago.

I definitely hate that he's now a Laker but it's been pretty widely reported that there simply was no market for him. I never believed that the Spurs had any real interest. Beyond not necessarily being a good fit for a team that already has spacing issues on offense I just can't see Pop at the end of his career wanting to coach Boogie. The only other rumor was that Miami might be interested. It's hard for me to call Boogie a ring chaser when he fired his agent this off-season, presumably because he was unable to get him offers.

From the time DMC was an all-star for the Kings there were reports that many teams had him on a no-trade, no-sign list. I remember being angry at what Vlade got in return for him from the Pelicans and wondering why Boston (among others) didn't put together a stronger offer. As it turns out, Danny Ainge simply had no interest even at what I saw as pennies on the dollar. And that was back when he was playing incredible basketball. Now that he's older with an Achilles tear in his past there is even less interest.

All that to say that I can't really begrudge the guy for joining the Lakers. Just as with everyone complaining last year that it was unfair that he signed on the cheap with the Warriors, my only thought is: then why didn't anyone else sign him? I mean, Ivica Zubac and Boban Marjonavic were prioritized by teams over Cousins.

I can't root for the Lakers. I can't. And I never will. But I may root for Cousins to have a good season. Because if he doesn't I think his career is more or less over after this year. Both he and Isaiah Thomas were in line for huge contracts only to have injuries completely derail their careers. And I never wanted to see that. In Cousin's case, his attitude issues always clouded his on-court brilliance and now if he can't regain some of his past form those same attitude issues (along with a changing NBA) will mean that teams won't want to bother with him.

As much as I struggled with Boogie as a King at times I don't want to see that happen to a guy who was once so amazing and who should be in the middle of his prime.
I agree with your sentiments, and while I’m stopping short of saying I think he’s become a ring-chaser and is disloyal to the Sactown fans by going to the Lakers, I do think this stinks. Its just an unfortunate situation. I also think the lack of a market for such a brilliant player stinks.
 

Kingster

Hall of Famer
#55
Is Cousins going to provide their 3 point shooting?:) The floor spreader for AD and LBJ? Put him in the corner at the 3 point line.:p Or are AD and LBJ going to run their offense through low post Cousins?:D Or is it just a defensive upgrade to keep up with Leonard and Paul George?:p

Cousins has a long ways to go before you can count on him making any positive difference with the Lakers. The Achilles is no joke.
 

SLAB

Hall of Famer
#56
I agree with your sentiments, and while I’m stopping short of saying I think he’s become a ring-chaser and is disloyal to the Sactown fans by going to the Lakers, I do think this stinks. Its just an unfortunate situation. I also think the lack of a market for such a brilliant player stinks.
He ain’t disloyal. He was interested in a reunion and we told him to kick rocks.
 

hrdboild

Hall of Famer
#57
Well damn. Rondo and Cousins? I can't root against those guys. Just can't do it. Two of my all-time favorite players and just sports personalities in general. And then we've got Luke Walton on our sideline.... The world as I know it has gone upside down. Maybe I should just take a break from the NBA this year to resist the temptation of the dark side.
 

hrdboild

Hall of Famer
#59
In all seriousness, I think it's important to remember that these guys are people first and basketball players second. The 2002 playoffs were 17 years ago. Everyone who played in that series has retired. We now have a former Laker managing our team and a former Laker coaching our team. The MVP of that 2002 Lakers team, Mr. "Sacramento Queens" himself, is a part owner and our managing owner was formerly a part-owner in Golden State and a Warriors die-hard. On top of that, DeMarcus Cousins didn't beg to be traded or turn down a bunch of money to sign somewhere else as a free agent, he was unceremoniously dumped while he was representing our city and team at the All-Star game...

I understand that for some of you the "he's dead to me" histrionics fire you up and make it easier for you to enjoy the game of basketball and I suppose that's your prerogative but I do hope at some level you also realize that it's just a jersey. If anyone here had a relative who was good enough to be drafted into the NBA and they got drafted by the Lakers you would probably root for the Lakers and there's nothing wrong with that. LA is just a city. The Sacramento I come back to when I visit my family is different than the one I grew up in. The LA I live in now is different than the one I moved to in 2001. Cities ultimately are just places where people gather and as that population constantly shifts and changes so too does the character of the city. In my experience, almost every stereotype used to characterize a group of people or a region winds up being hollow and meaningless once you actually get there and experience how people really are. Rivalries are harmless enough provided you can separate them from reality, but speaking as a fan who is almost always experiencing the game in rival arenas, there are far too many people out there who don't seem to be able to make that distinction and that's pretty sad. Let's be better than that.
 
#60
I don't know how you could not be a Cousins fan. He still wants to be here in Sacramento and only signed with the last 2 teams he signed with because no one else really wanted him.

I hope he comes back at some point in his career. Even if he is done as a basketball player. Would be a nice gesture for one of the most loyal Sacramento Kings to ever put on the uniform.
 
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