DeMarcus Cousins regrets not pushing for a trade from the Sacramento Kings in 2015 while feuding with George Karl.
Cousins wanted to remain with the Kings at that time, but he was traded less than two years later ahead of the 2017 trade deadline.
“There were plenty of situations where I’m like, ‘Man, why didn’t you just do it this way?’ ” Cousins recently told ESPN. “And there was plenty of times where I was a victim. But at the end of the day, it’s still on me. My biggest regret is not leaving when I had the chance.
“I had the chance, but I fought it. I had the chance to leave, but I didn’t.”
According to an NBA source, Cousins’ representatives told Kings general manager Vlade Divac after the 2014-15 season that their client wanted to be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers but was open to other possible deals.
Cousins ultimately told his representatives and the Kings that he wanted to stay.
“I wanted to give it a chance because my representatives told me I shouldn’t stay,” Cousins said. “I guess you could say I was stubborn and loyal. I wanted to make things work.”
Cousins regrets being loyal to the Kings.
“I kind of blame myself for even putting myself at that point,” Cousins said. “You knew coming in this was a business. How are you going to be loyal to something that ain’t even loyal to any player that’s ever played this game? I was a fool.
“But at the same time, it doesn’t change who I am. … I still live by that code. You’ve just got to learn how to separate business and your personal life. And all that did was teach me a lesson.”