With the NBA trade deadline this coming Thursday, the Sacramento Kings are reportedly scanning and examining the trade market closely for their all-star center DeMarcus Cousins. According to reliable league analyst Adrian Wojnarowski, the Kings have been aggressively engaging themselves in trade talks, mostly centered on Cousins in recent days.

According to CBS Sports, Wojnarowski added that the Kings have recently made negotiations with the New Orleans Pelicans about a potential deal, along with noting that Sacramento is still debating about Cousins' future with the team. The report says that the two teams have engaged in discussing a deal that would send Cousins to the Big Easy for rookie Buddy Hield and multiple first-round draft picks.

"We met with Kings GM Vlade Divac and the team's ownership, and they assured us and DeMarcus that he is not being traded," agent Jarinn Akana told Wojnarowski. "As far as we're concerned, nothing has or will ever change at the moment."

Kings owner Vivek Ranadive's uncertainty on a long-term commitment to Cousins has sparked numerous trade talks, adding that he has gone back and forth in either making something done or securing Cousins' future with the team. The Pelicans have also reached out to the Indiana Pacers about their all-star Paul George, but talks regarding Cousins have been progressing even further.

News about the Kings shopping Cousins came just two days after reports have pointed out that the Orlando Magic just turned down a blockbuster deal for the enigmatic big man earlier this season, and while Cousins' name has been prominent in a lot of trade rumors over the past season, he has maintained the decision of stay in Sacramento long-term.

According to Sporting News, Cousins intends to sign a massive, max- extension, estimated at around $207 million during the coming offseason. However, parameters of the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement specify that Cousins wouldn't be able to earn the designated player extension if he were to join a new team.

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