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The Sacramento Kings did part with the best big man in the league, but I’ll let former great big man Vlade Divac speak for me:
"[via Kings Official Press Release] “It was time for a change and I decided this was the best direction for the organization, said Divac. “Winning begins with culture and character matters.”"
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While a not-so-suddle shot at Cousins, the move was necessary. Talent alone doesn’t win games. Playing like a team helps, and having upper management on the same page is a more necessary ingredient to building a title contender. The Kings are nowhere near that last step, which is something they finally came around to realizing by moving Cousins; no matter how much backlash they receive from their fanbase or the NBA Community.
What the Kings do have is Willie Cauley-Stein, who I think is the most viable candidate for building block.
While WCS does not possess the elite offensive capability Cousins possesses (or will ever come close to), he is 7 feet tall and uber athletic. He was explosive for esteemed college coach John Calipari’s Wildcats, and was a good shot blocker in college (115 blocks over his career). I think he should be the centerpiece (literally) for the Kings moving forward.
If you thin I’m crazy, Tristan Thompson starts for the championship-caliber Cavs despite only being 6-foot-9 and is averaging 9.7 boards on the season. Why can’t a 7-footer average that number if not more with some more playing time and not much pressure? (I’M LOOKING AT YOU NENE! WHERE WAS THIS IN WASHINGTON?)