Time to grow up 'Cuz'

Kings send DeMarcus Cousins home, say he demanded trade

On Sunday, before a home game vs. the New Orleans Hornets, the Sacramento Kings released a statement saying that he wouldn't play because of one and that the 6-11 center demanded a trade.

Cousins, 21, was not with the team for the Hornets game.

"When a player 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," head coach Paul Westphal said. "DeMarcus Cousins has demanded to be traded. In the best interest of our team as we go forward, he has been directed by me, with the support of management, to stay home from the New Orleans game tonight."

Westphal added: "I hope that DeMarcus has a change of heart and joins up with full reinstatement. That's really all up to him. This will give him the best chance to do that. … It's something I think the team can use to band together which is the most important thing for a new team."

In four games with Cousins, the Kings were 1-3. Cousins averaged 13 points and 11.3 rebounds but is shooting just 32.1% from the field (13-for-44).

But John Greig, Cousins' agent, denies that his client asked for a trade, according to SI.com.

"DeMarcus never demanded a trade. I'm surprised the Kings, if they believe the player wanted a trade, wouldn't have made a phone call to his representative? Maybe Westphal is just feeling the heat early this season."

There has been tension between Cousins and Westphal since his rookie season. He was suspended for instigating a fight on a plane with teammate Donte Green in February. Cousins was upset about not getting the ball on the final play of a game in which the Kings lost. Green passed the ball to then-reigning Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans instead.

Four months before that, Cousins was fined $5,000 by the Kings for having a heated exchange with a strength and conditioning coach.

After that incident, Cousins was benched for taunting a Golden State Warriors player at the free throw line when he missed a free throw towards the end of a close game. Westphal fined him an undisclosed amount and criticized Cousins' lack of professionalism. General manager Geoff Petrie concurred.

The Kings haven't won more than 25 games in the last three seasons and last qualified for the playoffs in 2006.

Cousins was the fifth overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft, dropping a few places because teams had concerns about his work ethic and attitude.