Cousins, Hield Swap Teams In Blockbuster Trade

The biggest trade of the NBA season-to-date became official on Monday with the New Orleans Pelicans acquiring DeMarcus Cousins and Omri Casspi from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway, a 2017 first-round pick and a future second-rounder.

Cousins gives the Pelicans a second prolific big man to pair with Anthony Davis. He’s averaging 27.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game in his seventh season.

The Kings, who have long admired Buddy Hield, will enter full tank mode and try to rebuild around Hield with young prospects and draft picks.

“It was time for a change and I decided this was the best direction for the organization,” Kings general manager Vlade Divac said. “Winning begins with culture and character matters. With the upcoming draft class set to be one of the strongest in a decade, this trade will allow us to build the depth needed for a talented and developing roster moving forward.”

Hield is averaging 8.6 points per game as a rookie and shooting 36.9 percent from three-point range. The former Sooner will have the green light and as many minutes as he can handle on the 24-33 Kings.