Kings DeMarcus Cousins Trade: Where the Key Pieces Are Now

The Sacramento Kings have changed a lot since the 2017 NBA blockbuster.

Dec 28, 2016; Portland, OR, USA; Sacramento Kings forward DeMarcus Cousins (15) dunks the ball against the Portland Trail Blazers in the first half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports / Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports

The Sacramento Kings spent 16 consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance, but drafting soon-to-be All-Star big man DeMarcus Cousins with the fifth overall pick in 2010 gave fans hope of better things to come.

After six seasons with Cousins leading the franchise without sniffing the postseason, the Kings decided to cut ties and trade him away. The 2017 blockbuster sent Cousins to the New Orleans Pelicans, but did the trade pay off? Here is a look at where each significant piece of the trade is now:

DeMarcus Cousins

Jan 6, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; New Orleans Pelicans center DeMarcus Cousins (0) reacts during the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports / Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Cousins made four All-Star appearances, three with Sacramento and one with New Orleans, as he made himself known as one of the league's best big men. After the Kings traded him away, Cousins decided to join the brewing dynasty Golden State Warriors, but that would be where his career spiraled.

Just 30 games into his Warriors career, Cousins ruptured his Achilles tendon, which sidelined him for nearly a calendar year.

Since the major injury, Cousins spent time with the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Denver Nuggets, playing just 119 games since the 2018-19 season.

Cousins had the potential to be one of the league's best big men ever if it were not for unfortunate injuries, but he is now out of the NBA shuffling across teams overseas.

Buddy Hield

Jan 7, 2022; Denver, Colorado, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield (24) reacts in the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports / Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Hield was the most significant return for the Kings in this blockbuster. After a successful rookie season in New Orleans, they shipped him to Sacramento where he found a solid home.

Through six seasons as a King, Hield averaged 16.9 points while shooting 40.2 percent from deep. As one of the league's premier shooters, Hield has been a valuable piece anywhere he goes.

After a few good years in Sacramento, Hield was involved in another major blockbuster, where the Kings shipped him to the Indiana Pacers alongside Tyrese Haliburton. This 2022 deal landed the Kings Domantas Sabonis, who has emerged as one of the top big men in the NBA.

"Yo Sacramento can suck my d**k!"

Buddy Hield at Pacers shootaround 💀 pic.twitter.com/VQKSwte4mz

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 22, 2022

Unfortunately for Hield's legacy in Sacramento, the talented shooter made himself a villain to Kings fans after making it clear he has something against the franchise.

Hield continued to shine as a three-point threat in Indiana, but the Pacers decided to trade him to the Philadelphia 76ers ahead of last season's trade deadline. Hield's production declined last season, but this offseason's sign-and-trade sent him to the Warriors, where Steph Curry's presence could certainly elevate Hield's game.

Tyreke Evans

Mar 22, 2017; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Tyreke Evans (32) reacts during the second quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Golden 1 Center. The Bucks defeated the Kings 116-98. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports / Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports

After being selected fourth overall in 2009, Tyreke Evans won the NBA Rookie of the Year, becoming the first King to win the award since Phil Ford in 1979. Evans spent four seasons in Sacramento to begin his career, but his production oddly declined each season.

Evans was sent to the Pelicans in the 2013 offseason via sign-and-trade, where he would spend three and a half years before getting sent back to Sacramento in the Cousins trade.

Evans played just 14 games in his second stint with the Kings before signing with the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2017 offseason. Evans most recently played with the Indiana Pacers during the 2018-19 season, but has been left off all NBA rosters since.

The former top-five pick was banned from the NBA in 2019 for violating the terms of its Anti-Drug Program but has since been reinstated as of February 2022. Evans will likely not make a return to the league but has more recently spent time overseas to resume his basketball career.

No pieces from the 2017 blockbuster remain on either the Kings or Pelicans, as the trade ultimately did neither franchise much good. The other pieces of Omri Casspi, Langston Galloway, a 2017 first-round pick, and a 2017 second-round pick had little impact on either franchise.

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