DeMarcus Cousins: 'I Was A Fool' For Staying With The Kings For So Long
by Cutter Hicks, Sports 1140 KHTK
Ex-Kings center DeMarcus Cousins apparently wasn't happy with his time here in Sacramento, and he let many analysts know it.
In a recent interview with ESPN's Marc J. Spears, the big man said that he wished he left the franchise earlier than he did.
"My biggest regret is, why didn't I leave when I had the chance?," Cousins said.
"I had the chance, but I fought it. ... I wanted to give it a chance. My representatives, they told me I shouldn't stay. You know, being...I guess you can say stubborn and loyal, I wanted to make things work."
When asked about the time frame when he could've left, he specifically mentioned when the Kings hired head coach George Karl.
Karl was initially hired to replace interim head coach Tyrone Corbin in February 2015. However, the Kings fired him following the 2015-16 season after a 33-49 record.
Many speculated that the main reason he was fired was due in part to his relationship (or lack thereof) with Cousins.
"I never felt I got into a good place with Cuz, and some of that was my stupidity when I said that no player is untradeable," Karl told the Sacramento Bee's Ailene Voisin. "I still believe that. But I should have been smart enough not to say it, and I in no way, at any time, thought DeMarcus was going to get traded."
Cousins was eventually traded in February to the New Orleans Pelicans, who will be visiting Sacramento on Thursday.
He shrugged off the notion that the matchup will be a "revenge" game.
"I'm excited to play in front of the fans and see their reaction," Cousins told Spears. "But as far as it just being like a revenge game or anything, I'm past it. I'm in a good place, I'm happy where I'm at. We have a chance to win. We're playing for something. So I'm good."