DeMarcus Cousins on Kings: 'I just hope they make a decision soon and stick with it'
Sacramento Kings All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins insists he has played no part in the franchise's coaching changes and searches this season, and made a pitch for stability on the team's sideline.
"I wasn't consulted when the decision was made to fire Mike Malone and I'm not being consulted now,” Cousins told Yahoo Sports on Tuesday night. "I just hope they make a decision soon and stick with it. George Karl is an experienced, proven coach and if that is who they chose to coach this team, I will support it. I do not like all these discussions in the media while we have a coach in place. It is a distraction and not fair to Coach Corbin and this team."
The Kings and Karl's representative are finalizing contractual details on Tuesday on a four-year deal that will be worth between $4 million and $5 million annually, sources said.
Cousins' agents, Dan Fegan and Jarinn Akana, have expressed frustration with the Kings' destabilized environment that ownership began with the curiously timed firing of coach Michael Malone in December, sources said. Along with Cousins, the agents had been fully supportive of Malone and were shocked with a dismissal that's been a prelude to the season's collapse.
At the time, Kings ownership and management publicly and privately insisted that they would play out the rest of the season with interim coach Tyrone Corbin and conduct a full search at season's end. The Kings changed course in recent days, and have moved to the brink of finalizing a contract with Karl to take over at the All-Star break this week.
It hasn't been Karl specifically that Fegan and Akana were uneasy with, but the chaotic state and constant flux of the franchise this season, sources said.
Cousins is averaging 24 points and 12 rebounds and will appear in the All-Star Game as a Western Conference reserve on Sunday in New York.
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