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Sacramento Kings Front Office Adamant DeMarcus Cousins Staying, Stays Mum On Rift

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — With the NBA Draft less than 48 hours away, there are questions whether or not Sacramento Kings All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins will ever play at the new arena slated to open in 2016.

Numerous reports cite bad blood between Cousins and head coach George Karl and possible trade scenarios for the Kings' first All-Star since 2004.

At 6'11", 275 pounds, Cousins has become the young All-Star of a team with old problems. Now there are questions whether or not he's about to be traded.

Numerous reports indicate the 24-year-old center is in a heated battle with Karl.

"I know Vlade [Divac] has said time and time again that we love Cousins, and we're not going to trade him," said team owner Vivek Ranadive.

After making that comment at the site of the new arena, he deferred questions about what's in store to the former Kings player and current team basketball vice president.

Divac echoed that Cousins was staying, but wouldn't confirm what Cousins or Karl wants.

"We'll see down the road if we need it or not," he said. "But if you're asking specifically about DeMarcus, he's going to be around here."

As for the supposed ongoing conflict between Cousins and the coach.

"That's a question for DeMarcus and the coach," he said. "I think they shouldn't talk about anything about basketball and the Kings, because I'm going to talk about it, I'm going to make decisions."

KHTK Sports radio host Carmichael Dave said he believes the uncertainty and the reported feud between coach and player does nothing but hurt the team.

"If there is one thing that is certain about Sacramento Kings, is that there is nothing certain about the Sacramento Kings right now," he said. "The fans deserve stability, and I honest to goodness hope that one way or another this passes or something gets executed and the fans are able to sit back and just worry about basketball."

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