Countdown to the trade deadline - DeMarcus Cousins

Bill Simmons thinks DeMarcus Cousins being traded to the Boston Celtics could be the best move the team has ever made in modern NBA history - he also thinks it could turn out to be the worst.

Simmons - a leading NBA sportswriter and not-so-secret fan of the Celtics - recently graced the world with what amounts to Harry Turtledove-esque NBA fan fiction in a recent piece imagining both potential outcomes. One revolved around an Amir Johnson and Marcus Smart-centered trade he gave the moniker "the Heist" that saw Boogie settle into a very Kevin Garnett-like role on a revitalized, contending Celtics squad, and the other - well, let's just say it saw Danny Ainge ending up working as a color commentator.

Such an outcome - in either direction - might not be as far fetched as some might think, should the unlikely event of a DeMarcus Cousins trade ever actually take place between the current reigning champion of the title of "NBA's most dysfunctional team", the Sacramento Kings, ever get their act together enough to make something of what remains of Cousins' trade value.


I say "remains" because Boogie is quickly approaching the last year of his current contract after this season, and while his on-court production is the sort of thing General Managers drool over, his off-court "productions" are the sort of thing that gets them canned. If it weren't for the bar fights in outings with teammate and shining citizen Matt Barnes, or profanity-laced tirades against the local press, most front offices would likely be forgiving enough to weather his occasional in-game unprofessional behavior.

After the last two weeks, perhaps not so much.

Here at Celticslife, we've been running at least one poll per week on trade rumors and suggestions circulating in the NBA media sphere, and while we try to take care to focus more on rumors and less on pundits' pet ideas for shuffling the decks of NBA rosters, after the events of the last fortnight, Bill Simmons' Boogie2Boston fan fiction took on too much relevance to ignore. So, we're taking the pulse of our readers on whether the most recent wave of less-then-trust-inspiring news regarding whether perennial Boston trade rumor DeMarcus Cousins is still an overwhelming favorite.


Take the polls, and let us know how you feel - leave us comments on Twitter or in the comment section below. If you have something to say - don't hold back! The best - and funniest - comments we get from you will be featured in the follow-up article later this week, where we'll write up an analysis of your popular wisdom versus what we're hearing from the talking (and typing) heads.

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