This is not an advocacy to trade him (NaATTH)™

We can’t trade a guy for this caliber-type of player, DMC, needs also to grow up himself, he should learn that at first hand. Then PW, should also embrace his role as a father figure to this young team cause they need guidance and direction. DMC, Here We Stay. Do your stuff man prove it on the court stop all this BS around. You know how important you are to this team.

If I were the coach I don’t know how much better I’d be able to handle this situation than what Westphal has done. I know that I don’t like what Westphal has done, but I don’t know if I could give a better solution, especially if the fact that DeMarcus has had a lot of other off-the-court problems (which I suspect he has, particularly from the tip of the iceberg comment).

So, in hindsight, maybe the giant picture of the kid on THE SIDE OF A BUILDING wasn’t such a great idea?

I think Demarcus needs to be knocked down a few pegs. So, they tell him to sit this one out, take him out of the opening video package tonight, and remove him from the theme of the kings.com website. The message: we gave you the keys from day one, and this is how you treat us?

There is a hierarchy of how things work. This is a business. If you wanna play the game, you gotta follow the rules.

I can’t get on board with giving Westphal a pass here though – as a member of the management of this organization, he (and Petrie tacitly) are continuously giving the impression that they have no problem throwing their players under the bus in the media.

Let’s say the team has no choice but to deal DeMarcus, due to his attitude and unwillingness to play for the Kings. Has the team’s actions here harmed or hurt his trade value?

It’s not about who’s right and who’s wrong. It’s about protecting the value of your assets and your organization’s reputation.

Entertaining and insightful, as always.

Did he say it in anger intended to convey “fuck you”, I have no doubt.

Doesn’t PW have a responsibility to treat his players with honesty and with respect, or is he the captain of his ship and can say or do anything he wants? This is the real crux of the matter.

Is PW taking any accountability of the teams problems or is he just deflecting his own failings on young inexperienced and emotional players? Would you let a boss or co-worker pass blame to you that isn’t justified. What has DeMarcus done on the court to deserve to be singled out by PW? Is he the reason we’re last in assists? Is he the reason the team is shooting 40% from the field? Is he the reason the team is allowing over 50 pts per game in the paint?

I guarantee you that if I thought that I was doing what I was told to do and trying my best and my supervisor called me out in front of the team, I wouldn’t take it lying down.

As far a DeMarcus still wanting to be traded. Based on the offseason signing and the number of NBA players that seem to be eager to join this team, I’d guess that anyone on the current roster that would be guaranteed a job somewhere else probably wants to be TRADED right about now.

In other words, the front office KNEW shit like this was going to happen but they believe his talent out weighed his mental deficiencies. They believe that over the next 4 years of his rookie contract he would grow into a professional, mature adult. Maybe I am naive, but personally I believe he will make that change and I am definitely not ready to give up on the guy yet. But to type up a rant every time he has some “issue”, some issue by the way in which no details came out, is silly to me. I highly doubt he requested to be traded in the way that Westfail leads us to believe, but that is all speculation at this point. I don’t think PW has to go because of this incident, I believe PW needs to go because his coaching style is not clicking with our young roster.

Demarcus spoke out of frustration and immaturity
Westphal’s comments were calculated and planned.

I think the reason most of the “he said/she said” votes are in DeMarcus’ corner is because we have low expectations for Demarcus’ behavior. It doesn’t make it o.k. It’s bad behavior and we want him to develop into a coach-able and improving professional.

I don’t think there’s any question there are more productive ways for Westphal to have handled this specific challenge. I’m certainly not a face analysis expert with the CIA but I quickly ID’d Westphal as angry, challenged and defensive.

That’s just not what I’m looking for in someone to maximize DeMarcus’ talent and development. I hope I’m wrong.
I really hope I’m wrong

Paul Westphal had his press conference as a pre-emptive strike before the New Orleans game to explain why DeMarcus Cousins was not in the building. He had the opportunity to address the question on his own terms and he was able to focus on the DMC situation solely. If he had waited until the post game it would dominated the discussion (it may have already) no matter the outcome of the contest.

Being a coach in the NBA for 590 games (!), Paul Westphal is no rookie. He is a veteran presence and an avuncular one. He is also the authority figure on this team. He has undergone apparent numerous challenges to his authority by the youngest member of his team. His previous methods of controlling the player were ineffective. He changed his method – havoc ensued.

I would be willing to bet that if Paul Westphal had a winning record for this team or if his name was Jerry Sloan or Rick Adelman that the reactions here would be different. Paul Westphal is a respected member of the NBA community with many more advocates than detractors. But the Kings win few games and are in Sacramento, shouts and snickers were already asking to replace the coach, now they grow louder and more meaningful.

We can guess what was said, when it was said, in front of whom it was said, where it was said. We end up playing “He said, He said”. No thanks. We have no choice but to watch this soap opera move along, and discuss and argue over our opinions as to how it will all end. Let me tell you now – not well. Someone will not be working in Sacramento for very much longer. If it is Paul Westphal shown the door, than good luck finding a replacement other than Keith Smart or Jim Eyen. You have now labeled DeMarcus Cousins a coach killer. If DeMarcus Cousins is traded and the Kings then have even less talent – they will win even less games and no coach gets to stay with a losing record and a label of not being able to handle young players in this League.

This is an advocacy to trade DeMarcus Cousins to the Rockets. You know it’s the best home for centers. Try to help this troubled young man. You can talk about personal responsibility and acting like an adult all you like, but you know in your heart that he’ll get the help he desperately needs in Houston. Kevin McHale will teach him post moves. Hakeem will show him the Dreamshake. Moses Malone will swing by and beat the crap out of him, just so he understands his place in the world of centers.

For what it’s worth, I’m trying to imagine Yao Ming, who was just as young as DeMarcus when he came to the NBA, acting like Cousin’s has. And you can’t say Yao had less expectation riding on him, since he was carrying the basketball hopes of 1.3 billion people.