"There's no place like home."
It's the sign that was posted on the Golden 1 Center electronic ribbon board when Kings general manager Vlade Divac handed DeMarcus Cousins' 2017 Western Conference All-Star Game jersey.
Sacramento had been Cousins' only home in the NBA, and it's where he wanted to stay.
But Cousins would never return from his third NBA All-Star game in New Orleans as a Sacramento King.
On Monday morning, the Kings formally announced that they traded Cousins, one of the most talented yet controversial players in franchise history, to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway and a first- and second-round draft pick this summer.
"It was time for a change and I decided this was the best direction for the organization, said Vlade Divac in a statement. "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. We thank DeMarcus for his contributions and wish him all the best in New Orleans. The fans in Sacramento are the best in the world and we are all committed to building a team that will continue to make Sacramento proud."
Cousins was traded to the Pelicans on Sunday evening while he played in his third consecutive NBA All-Star Game, representing the Kings for the final time. He only played two minutes for the Western Conference under coach Steve Kerr.
During a press conference Monday at Golden 1 Center, Divac hinted that the team made up its mind to trade Cousins when he sat out the Kings' 108-92 victory over the Boston Celtics on Feb. 8.
Cousins had been suspended by the NBA for one game after picking up his 16th technical foul of the season _ faster than any other player had done so in league history.
That night against the Celtics, the Kings played well as a cohesive unite, beating the team with the second-best record in the Eastern Conference. It showed, for at least one night, what the team could look like without its best player _ one who dominated the team.
In his first game back from suspension, Cousins picked up his 17th technical, with his next resulting in another automatic one-game suspension.
Divac told reporters Monday he appreciated Cousins' tenure in Sacramento, but he was no longer part of the team's vision for its future.
"We came to the point, I realized that this is the best time, best move and best offer we were going to have," Divac said.
Throughout his career in Sacramento, Cousins had been a lightning rod for controversy. A first-round draft pick out of Kentucky in 2010, he had fought with teammates, chased coaches out of town and failed to produce victories. He had been suspended numerous times by the league for technical fouls, and had been fined $100,000 this season _ $50,000 in December after a locker-room confrontation with former Bee sports columnist Andy Furillo.
Many fans who had grown to love his talents as a player also grew tired of his moody demeanor during games, constant complaints toward referees and failing to get back on defense while sulking.
But when the trade was announced, many fans were disappointed the team didn't get more in return.
"How do we feel? Ripped off, misled, just more chaos," said longtime Kings season ticket holder Frank Bellows of Folsom. "We've gotten used to this (front-office failure). More drama than actual success."
Cousins' statistics as a player improved each of his 6 { seasons (he was averaging career highs of 27.8 points and 4.9 assists per game), and it appeared that the team was prepared to sign him to a new contract this offseason that would have paid him more than $200 million.
But after six coaches _ Cousins had run-ins with nearly every one _ and the fact the team had continuously fell short of its goal of reaching the playoffs throughout his career, the team decided now was the best time to trade Cousins.
The GM said he hopes the trade will be good for Cousins, who now joins a team as a second-role star to Anthony Davis. Davis scored a record 52-points in the Western Conference's 192-182 victory over the East on Sunday.
"I really love DeMarcus, I think he's a great kid," Divac told reporters. "He wasn't a fit right now in what we're trying to do. I wish him all the best. I would hope (the trade) will have a positive affect on his career."
