HoopsHype.com Rumors

DeMarcus Cousins on keeping his cool: After the Kings' 124-118 win over the Cavs: "I'm just telling myself let's not make this situation worse, just (keep) playing. My thought was every bad play, let's get a good play. So that's what I did." Sulia

Sacramento Kings, DeMarcus Cousins 

When it comes to Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins, meanwhile, multiple teams on hand for the Showcase expressed the view this week that the Kings' serious sale talks with a Seattle group headed by Chris Hansen quietly have been a factor leading Cousins to be deemed untouchable to any team that has called about him recently. Given that Cousins, for all the headaches, easily outperforms his rookie-scale salary of $3.9 million, it's believed that the Kings are prepared to let their new owners decide whether to keep the mercurial big man or move him. ESPN.com

Sacramento Kings, Trade, DeMarcus Cousins 

Cousins' ongoing presence certainly won't bother the Maloofs, who have convinced countless teams on the map that they love him too much to trade him. ESPN.com

Sacramento Kings, Trade, DeMarcus Cousins 

An elbow from DeMarcus Cousins helped hand the Dallas Mavericks a win and gave Sacramento Kings fans another stinger. O.J. Mayo had 24 points and 10 rebounds, Vince Carter scored 23 points off the bench and the Mavericks took advantage of a flagrant foul by Cousins to rally from 17 points down to beat the Kings 117-112 in overtime Thursday night. USA Today Sports

Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, Vince Carter, DeMarcus Cousins 

New ownership, whether it's formally in place or in de facto control of the team, will want a say in any big decision — whether to trade DeMarcus Cousins, add long-term contracts, or cut as much salary as possible. Executives around the league agree the Kings are at least open for business right now — taking calls, engaging in exploratory talks, etc. There's some wariness that the ownership transition, should it actually start soon, would complicate things, but there remains optimism the Kings won’t just disconnect the phones regardless. (Note: They might do that if the Maloofs can no longer afford the phone bill before the sale is final.) Grantland

Sacramento Kings, Trade, DeMarcus Cousins 

They are also pretty much unanimous that Cousins, despite his three suspensions just this season and occasionally toxic personality, is off-limits right now, barring a blow-your-mind offer that isn’t coming — and can’t really come, anyway, since Cousins makes only $3.88 million this season. Teams over the cap wishing to take in Cousins’s salary would have to send out a similar amount, and a salary at that level on its own will not bring a fair talent return for Sacramento. It’s possible for Sacramento to add another player to a Cousins package to beef up the outgoing salary, but going that route entails either taking on considerable long-term money, dumping everything for a big expiring contract, or building a three- or four-team deal to send some of that salary elsewhere — all things that require ownership input. Grantland

Sacramento Kings, Trade, DeMarcus Cousins 

A franchise executive predicts that few teams will be seeking to trade for DeMarcus Cousins. "The league has really changed in the way we look at players. I think there would have been 10 to 15 teams that would have been interested in him a decade ago. I bet it's half that many teams -- or less -- that would be willing to take him on now. We do all of this research and background work on players now before we draft them. I think half of the consideration when we look at players now is trying to understand who these guys are as people. I really do think that most teams are going to say they don't want any part of him.'' SI.com

Sacramento Kings, Trade, DeMarcus Cousins 

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson couldn't be reached for comment Wednesday morning, and city officials said they had not confirmed that any deal existed. At about 12:40, Johnson tweeted, "Bottom line Sacramento: it's not over... ." "We've heard nothing from the NBA and nothing from the Kings organization and so for us, it wouldn't be appropriate for us to be commenting on rumors," said Sacramento Assistant City Manager John Dangberg. The news reports apparently spread quickly through the Kings organization, with both players Jason Thompson and DeMarcus Cousins tweeting "Wow." Sacramento Bee

Sacramento Kings, DeMarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson, Seattle SuperSonics, Joe Maloof, Kevin Johnson 

DeMarcus Cousins: Wow ... Twitter

Sacramento Kings, DeMarcus Cousins, Seattle SuperSonics 

Among those that didn't give him a chance, Cousins said, was his own organization. The Kings tabbed Cousins with the fifth pick in the 2010 draft but, in his mind, have never made an effort to get to know him. "They wanted to get to know me but they were scared because of my reputation," Cousins said. "I felt like it was bad on their part. I'm your player and you don't take the time to get to know me? You just go by what the rest of the world says?" SI.com

Sacramento Kings, DeMarcus Cousins 

And now? "No, I'm still not [given a chance]," Cousins said. "It flip flops. When everything is good, [the organization] is good. When things go bad, there is nothing about that good person they remember. I just want that balance. You are either with me or you're not." SI.com

Sacramento Kings, DeMarcus Cousins 

"Sometimes I let some of the small things take over," Cousins told SI.com. "It can be a simple thing, like a call going the wrong way, and it takes me all off. I've got a real problem when I know something is wrong or I feel something is wrong, I'm going to speak about it. I get it from my mother. It's a problem I have. I don't want to say I want to change it because it helped me get where I am. But at the same time, I have to learn to be quiet." SI.com

Sacramento Kings, DeMarcus Cousins 

Cousins is keenly aware of the perception of him. And he hates it. Badly. "I'm not going to sit here and say I'm innocent, because I've done things," Cousins said. "But to get the reputation that I've got, I don't think I've done enough. I don't have a criminal record. Some of the guys with the cleanest image in the league have a record. I don't think I was given a fair chance. I don't know what I did in college that was so bad to get that reputation. OK, there is footage of me and Coach Cal going at each other. That happens in sports. Coming into the league, everyone said I was going to be fat, I was the next Oliver Miller. I had all these red flags. I just feel I was never given a fair chance coming in." SI.com

Sacramento Kings, DeMarcus Cousins 

Cousins scoffs at the notion that he might have anger management issues and says he was offended when the Kings suggested he seek counseling. "I took it as an insult," Cousins said. "That's another thing, our organization doesn't even know me. They were looking for an excuse. I don't believe that is the way to solve issues. I'm an emotional guy. It's as simple as that." SI.com

Sacramento Kings, DeMarcus Cousins 

The agent for Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins met with team president Geoff Petrie on Monday and didn't demand a trade, USA TODAY Sports has learned. USA Today

Sacramento Kings, Trade, DeMarcus Cousins, Geoff Petrie 

The Kings, in turn, reiterated their stance that they have no intention of trading Cousins even if he wanted a new start elsewhere. USA Today

Sacramento Kings, Trade, DeMarcus Cousins, Geoff Petrie 

According to the person familiar with the talks, the Kings continue to make it clear that both Cousins and second-year guard Jimmer Fredette are not available. USA Today

Sacramento Kings, Trade, DeMarcus Cousins, Geoff Petrie, Jimmer Fredette 

One team that the Celtics have been in contact with is the Sacramento Kings. Boston has expressed significant interest in DeMarcus Cousins and would like to put together a package for him. Ainge seems willing to part with some combination of his recent acquisitions and draft picks. He doesn’t want to move Rondo, Pierce, Garnett or Avery Bradley, according to sources close to the situation. HoopsWorld

Boston Celtics, Sacramento Kings, Trade, DeMarcus Cousins, Avery Bradley 

Sources made it clear that Cousins to Boston is more likely than Gay, but wouldn’t rule out the latter as a possibility, especially if the Celtics and Kings can’t work out a deal for Cousins. Marcin Gortat of the Phoenix Suns has also been mentioned as a possible target if a Cousins deal falls through. HoopsWorld

Boston Celtics, Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, Trade, Rudy Gay, DeMarcus Cousins, Marcin Gortat 

Sam Amick: DeMarcus Cousins is not going to the Celtics. Teams continue to be told that he's not available. That is all. Twitter @sam_amick

Boston Celtics, Sacramento Kings, Trade, DeMarcus Cousins