Cousins Demands Trade From Sacramento; Told To Stay Away From Team

SACRAMENTO (AP) — The Sacramento Kings say DeMarcus Cousins has demanded a trade and has been told to stay away from the team.

Kings coach Paul Westphal released a statement before Sunday's game against New Orleans, saying when Cousins "continually, aggressively, lets it be known that he is unwilling/unable to embrace traveling in the same direction as his team, it cannot be ignored indefinitely."

Cousins' agent, John Greig, says he "has no idea what the Kings are doing" and didn't know the team excused him from Sunday's game until Westphal's announcement. Greig withheld any further comment.

The Kings drafted Cousins with the fifth overall pick in 2010 after he spent one season at Kentucky. The 21-year-old Cousins is averaging 13 points and 11 rebounds per game this season.