Cousins to Lakers

[Padrino]

Demarcus did right by himself. Hard to blame him with the horrible luck he's had.

After finally getting traded to a team where he could win, and finally hitting his stride alongside a fellow star talent in Anthony Davis, he tore his Achilles. Then he signed with the Warriors, put in the work to come back, proved he could contribute on a championship-caliber team, and officially made the playoffs for the first time in his career.... only to tear his quad in game two of a first round series. Then he manages to claw his way back to the court once again so he can play in the NBA Finals... only to be forced to carry an undue burden because two of his star teammates went down with season-ending injuries, and a shot at a title slipped through his fingers.

I have nothing but sympathy for Demarcus Cousins. It's true enough that he was his own worst enemy early in his career, but since being traded from Sacramento, and despite his legitimate effort to mature as a player and as a man, it's just been a string of sh*tty luck. Injuries. Bad timing. Not to mention the fact that league-wide trends have shifted under his feet. There's not much of a market for lumbering big men in the contemporary NBA, no matter how skilled. And there's exactly zero market for lumbering big men who have suffered an Achilles tear.

Demarcus deserves better. I begrudge him not a single decision he makes with the rest of his career, however long it lasts. Let him taste the playoffs for more than a handful of games. Let him pursue a chance at a ring with the Lakers or anybody else.

 

[SLAB]

Absolutely loving the rational takes here.

 

[The Effort Police]

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.

...

Nah....

 

[63royals]

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.

It's not the players I hate, it's the jersey. I hope Cousins, a great man, does well, and they lose every game.

The Rochester Royals won this franchise's only championship in March 1951. I was born that summer. That means I'll be 68 soon and it hasn't happened in my lifetime.

When you're a small market franchise, everything has to go right to win a championship. Portland in '77 comes to mind. For the Kings, that year was 2002 but our championship was stolen. The Lakers are still getting special treatment. One of the refs from game 6 is still working in the league. Nothing has changed.

Go DeMarcus.

 

[New Era]

It's not the players I hate, it's the jersey. I hope Cousins, a great man, does well, and they lose every game.

The Rochester Royals won this franchise's only championship in March 1951. I was born that summer. That means I'll be 68 soon and it hasn't happened in my lifetime.

When you're a small market franchise, everything has to go right to win a championship. Portland in '77 comes to mind. For the Kings, that year was 2002 but our championship was stolen. The Lakers are still getting special treatment. One of the refs from game 6 is still working in the league. Nothing has changed.

Go DeMarcus.

Cousins....a "great man?" Really?

 

[Tetsujin]

Cousins....a "great man?" Really?

Boogie did more for this community than almost any other "great man" to have ever passed through the franchise.

 

[SLAB]

Boogie did more for this community than almost any other "great man" to have ever passed through the franchise.

But he says no-no words to refs and single-handedly, without any outside assistance from anyone on the planet, destroyed the Kings franchise.

 

[Kangztillidie]

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.

Yeah except the Laker fan base is the most entitled and salty group of people ever. They look down on fans of other teams and if a player chooses not to play for the Lakers they claim they "arent destined for greatness" and "dont have what it takes to be a Laker". Laker fans are the most annoying in all of sports. So that is the reason the team gets so much hate. It's the attitude and over entitlement of their fans. They all suck.

 

[New Era]

Boogie did more for this community than almost any other "great man" to have ever passed through the franchise.

Because he was "Santa Cuz" during Christmas? I think that was great too but not sure that constitutes a "great man." I personally saw him treat numerous people like absolute garbage. His attitude on the court carried over off the court.

 

[Telemachus]

Because he was "Santa Cuz" during Christmas? I think that was great too but not sure that constitutes a "great man." I personally saw him treat numerous people like absolute garbage. His attitude on the court carried over off the court.

If you think him being Santa Cuz during Christmas was the only thing he did in the community, then you simply weren't paying attention.

 

[SLAB]

Because he was "Santa Cuz" during Christmas? I think that was great too but not sure that constitutes a "great man." I personally saw him treat numerous people like absolute garbage. His attitude on the court carried over off the court.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id...pay-funeral-slain-high-school-football-player

Yup. Just Santa Cuz.

 

[steelevt]

If you think him being Santa Cuz during Christmas was the only thing he did in the community, then you simply weren't paying attention.

I think the question is him being a “great man”. That term is too general and covers everything about the person. If what was said is great ambassador to the community, or even great talent on the court I doubt most would disagree. But great man might be questionable since there were some things he wasn’t great as, like not being a great teammate, not being great with the media, or good with some people overall.

 

[63royals]

Cousins....a "great man?" Really?

I figured out that someone I have on ignore didn't agree with my characterization.

Think of it as troll bait. Gotcha!

 

[ESP47]

Because he was "Santa Cuz" during Christmas? I think that was great too but not sure that constitutes a "great man." I personally saw him treat numerous people like absolute garbage. His attitude on the court carried over off the court.

The only time I ever saw him treat fans like garbage was when they were saying something to him that you know damn well they'd never say if they saw him on the street.

I remember him buying a family in need a car. He would give fans free tickets for meeting him in the park. He did a ton of stuff for the community and I bet you way more than we will never know about because he didn't like making most of it public.

 

[dude12]

Boogie has his not so great moments no doubt but that guy did a lot of good in this community. To just brush that aside like it’s nothing is .......searching for a polite way to say this..... in poor taste. I bet the people he helped, which appears to be quite a bit, appreciate the things he did while he was here.

Furthermore, while we read often how he was supposed to be a bad teammate, guys like Darren Collison, who appears to be a good dude, really love the big guy. How can that be? Maybe he’s not as bad as the Napears in the world make him out to be....... and that’s not excusing some of his behavior.

 

[Kangztillidie]

Yeah except the Laker fan base is the most entitled and salty group of people ever. They look down on fans of other teams and if a player chooses not to play for the Lakers they claim they "arent destined for greatness" and "dont have what it takes to be a Laker". Laker fans are the most annoying in all of sports. So that is the reason the team gets so much hate. It's the attitude and over entitlement of their fans. They all suck.

And then they act like this....

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/kawhi-...er-not-signing-with-the-lakers-220706473.html

 

[Telemachus]

I think the question is him being a “great man”. That term is too general and covers everything about the person. If what was said is great ambassador to the community, or even great talent on the court I doubt most would disagree. But great man might be questionable since there were some things he wasn’t great as, like not being a great teammate, not being great with the media, or good with some people overall.

By your critia, there is no such thing as a great man. The truth is that it can be a subjective term. There are many people who other label as great that I would disagree with (and the other way around).
As for being a bad teammate, I have never bought that narrative. The biggest thing I have heard to uphold that position is him yelling at teammates when they don't do what theyare supposed to do (in games and practice). I say welcome to the NBA. The leaders of almost every team do the same thing (MJ was notorious for this). IT used to get in Cousins' face when he messed up too, but they simply said he was being a leader.

More importantly, I always see his former teammates supporting him and many times coming to his defense. If he was a bad teammate and they disliked him so much, why would they do that?

 

[hrdboild]

Yeah except the Laker fan base is the most entitled and salty group of people ever. They look down on fans of other teams and if a player chooses not to play for the Lakers they claim they "arent destined for greatness" and "dont have what it takes to be a Laker". Laker fans are the most annoying in all of sports. So that is the reason the team gets so much hate. It's the attitude and over entitlement of their fans. They all suck.

Fully agreed on the fans*. I know some good people who happen to like the Lakers (we all have our flaws) but en masses they're an insufferable ungrateful bunch. The ones I've talked to are mad the Lakers signed Boogie cause he's not a star (not sure how that computes exactly but just smile and nod). Boogie is too good for them really, but I'm not going to let that stop me from rooting for the big guy.

*Most annoying in all sports though? Nah. I'd put Yankees, Dodgers, and Red Sox fans over Lakers fans in that department. Maybe not all of them, but in general.

 

[SLAB]

By your critia, there is no such thing as a great man. The truth is that it can be a subjective term. There are many people who other label as great that I would disagree with (and the other way around).
As for being a bad teammate, I have never bought that narrative. The biggest thing I have heard to uphold that position is him yelling at teammates when they don't do what theyare supposed to do (in games and practice). I say welcome to the NBA. The leaders of almost every team do the same thing (MJ was notorious for this). IT used to get in Cousins' face when he messed up too, but they simply said he was being a leader.

More importantly, I always see his former teammates supporting him and many times coming to his defense. If he was a bad teammate and they disliked him so much, why would they do that?

It’s the narrative because Grant Napear wants it to be the narrative. He has his “close personal locker room sources” or whatever (who for some reason I’ve always assumed was JT, lol) and because one guy says a thing, Good Ol’ Grant is going to milk the hell out of it because of his obnoxious never ending personal vendetta.

 

[SLAB]

Meanwhile, back to his roots

https://twitter.com/x/status/1148617996866211840

 

[Kingster]

If Cousins' would have watched his p's and q's with the Kings during the Divac era he would have been given the max contract and there would have been no trade. There would have been a max contract offered by Divac and the Kings. No trade. A max contract. No minimum contracts that followed. If it were me, I would have traded the guy within a month of taking over at GM. But Vlade, as the newcomer GM, gave him every opportunity to be a good teammate, and he blew it. Vlade, the guy who can get along with 99% of the people 99% of the time just couldn't see it working. It was Cousins' own behavior that did him in. If anyone wants to feel sorry for Cousins' being his own worst enemy, you are certainly entitled. Sure, I can feel sorry for any player who gets critically injured. I just can't feel sorry for someone who loses out on a max contract because he repeatedly missed the chances to clean up his act. The old saying, "character is destiny," couldn't be more appropriate for him.

 

[Hoovtrain]

If Cousins' would have watched his p's and q's with the Kings during the Divac era he would have been given the max contract and there would have been no trade. There would have been a max contract offered by Divac and the Kings. No trade. A max contract. No minimum contracts that followed. If it were me, I would have traded the guy within a month of taking over at GM. But Vlade, as the newcomer GM, gave him every opportunity to be a good teammate, and he blew it. Vlade, the guy who can get along with 99% of the people 99% of the time just couldn't see it working. It was Cousins' own behavior that did him in. If anyone wants to feel sorry for Cousins' being his own worse enemy, you are certainly entitled. Sure, I can feel sorry for any player who gets critically injured. I just can't feel sorry for someone who loses out on a max contract because he repeatedly missed the chances to clean up his act. The old saying, "character is destiny," couldn't be more appropriate for him.

Can’t disagree with this

 

[KingsFanSince85]

*Most annoying in all sports though? Nah. I'd put Yankees, Dodgers, and Red Sox fans over Lakers fans in that department. Maybe not all of them, but in general.

As a lifelong Dodgers fan, I find this take interesting. How the hell can Dodgers fans, in general, be more annoying that Yankees, Sox or Lakers fans?? The team hasn’t won a WS since 1988! You must know some neurotic people.

In my lifetime, I’ve never seen fellow Dodgers fans be anywhere near as conceited or having ridiculous expectations as fans of those other teams.

 

[steelevt]

By your critia, there is no such thing as a great man. The truth is that it can be a subjective term. There are many people who other label as great that I would disagree with (and the other way around).
As for being a bad teammate, I have never bought that narrative. The biggest thing I have heard to uphold that position is him yelling at teammates when they don't do what theyare supposed to do (in games and practice). I say welcome to the NBA. The leaders of almost every team do the same thing (MJ was notorious for this). IT used to get in Cousins' face when he messed up too, but they simply said he was being a leader.

More importantly, I always see his former teammates supporting him and many times coming to his defense. If he was a bad teammate and they disliked him so much, why would they do that?

Not just me apparently. That is why the op questioned the “great man” comment. Great for our community? Yes. Great talent on the floor? Yes. But overall it’s a questionable description. With the good praise by old teammates there’s also bad. Why? Because anyone can be a jerk to some and nice to others. I’m just saying everyone jumping on the guy who question the great man comment need to understand everyone has a different view of that description. He was great at some things and bad at other. Big deal. People disagree. He was my favorite player and was hoping he came back to us but I can still see his flaws.

 

[hrdboild]

As a lifelong Dodgers fan, I find this take interesting. How the hell can Dodgers fans, in general, be more annoying that Yankees, Sox or Lakers fans?? The team hasn’t won a WS since 1988! You must know some neurotic people.

In my lifetime, I’ve never seen fellow Dodgers fans be anywhere near as conceited or having ridiculous expectations as fans of those other teams.

Yankees fans are easily the worst. Red Sox fans are almost as bad because they think they're some kind of feel-good underdogs even though they're really just the Yankees in different clothes. As for the Dodgers... have you ever visited Dodger Stadium in anything other than a Dodgers hat?

 

[kingsfan1984]

As long as his per 36 numbers are strong I don't care about anything else.

Lol

 

[pdxKingsFan]

I've been a Boston sports fan since my tweens (mid 40s today, god it kills me saying that); we're really not the Yankees in different clothes. But they are our main rival, so yes we have to spend zillions to even remotely compete. It sucks. But for years they were cheap and always finished second or worst. And even mid 40s, half of my life has been spent watching Boston sports teams lose/choke in the most epic of ways.

I will not defend millenial and later generations of Boston sports fans who have no friggin clue what it was like to be a Boston fan in the 70s 80s and 90s. Many of them are obnoxious a-holes with no connection to the region and as far as I'm concerned can all go get bent. But there really is something special about connecting with other people from the region through the teams. Same as with Kingsfans. Except there are more of them (and you can always sniff out the BSers).

 

[jcassio]

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.

Well said.
But now can we get back to hating the Lakers???

 

[chief bromden]

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.

I really like and identify with this post, thanks hrd

 

[Capt. Factorial]

I will not defend millenial and later generations of Boston sports fans who have no friggin clue what it was like to be a Boston fan in the 70s 80s and 90s. Many of them are obnoxious a-holes with no connection to the region and as far as I'm concerned can all go get bent.

I don't know a lot about Boston fans, but I will say that at the low point of the relocation saga I went to a game against the Celtics at Sleep Train and was lucky enough to be seated next to a millennial Celtics fan who was belting down the beers one after another and spent most of the evening screaming at the top of his lungs about how glad he was that we were going to lose the Kings and how much we deserved that pain.

I have not forgotten, nor have I forgiven.