The team’s suspension was ended but that apparently doesn’t mean DeMarcus Cousins is back with the Kings.
Cousins practiced with the team on Monday but is not with the team now in Portland for a Wednesday night game, tweets Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. (Tyreke Evans is out as well as he recovers from a sore left knee.)
Why? It’s simply coach Keith Smart’s call and he said that Cousins was clear to practice but that was different than playing in a game. Draw your own conclusions. Cousins apparently had a few words with an assistant coach during a Christmas Eve practice but it didn’t appear to be major. This could still be residual from the last argument at half time, a profanity-laced tirade that got Cousins suspended by the team.
The Kings won their one game so far without Cousins, a 108-96 win over Portland.
As has been noted before, Smart essentially got this job because he had a good relationship with Cousins, a guy the Kings think could be a franchise player. Other teams agree he has the talent but few are interested in doing a fair trade for him (if any at all) because of concerns about his behavior and how he’ll fit in the locker room.
Cousins switched agents as well to Dan Fegan. Who was the guy who brought us the Dwightmare in Orlando. So, expect more fireworks down the line.
