Report: Kings more likely to fire George Karl than trade DeMarcus Cousins

When DeMarcus Cousins and George Karl feuded last summer, Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé reportedly didn’t want to trade Cousins but considered firing Karl.

You think this latest spat changes anything?

Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders:

Sources close to Kings ownership say it’s far more likely that Karl is removed as coach than Cousins being traded.

Ranadivé has shown a willingness to fly through coaches, employing Michael Malone, Tyrone Corbin and Karl just last season.

Cousins is the franchise player, an All-NBA talent who’s just 25 and signed until 2018.

Karl is more easily replaced than Cousins, and it’s not even close.

But if the Kings dump Karl, they’ll get nothing in return and have to pay him. Trading Cousins will yield favorable assets – maybe even a package more valuable than Cousins, though that seems highly unlikely.

The ideal scenario is Cousins and Karl learning to coexist. Kings general manager Vlade Divac says Karl will get the rest of the season to make that happen, and Sacramento might be on its way.

If things go south between Cousins and Karl again, though, there’s little doubt whom the Kings will choose.