Cousins: Trade rumors coming 'from people who want me'

Trade rumors have circled above DeMarcus Cousins for ages, but he hasn't gone anywhere.

In his own words, Cousins is "good" with the eternally defunct Sacramento Kings, but he also hears the whispers that grow louder near each offseason and trade deadline.

Don't buy into that talk, he warns.

"It is what it is," Cousins told Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE. "Most of the rumors come from people who want me on their team. It (trade rumors) doesn't bother me."

Cousins is coveted for obvious reasons. He's the league's most dominant center when he wants to be, and, in a more stable environment, could power a championship contender instead of pushing the Kings to yet another mediocre season.

Sacramento's muddled front office certainly doesn't cut the confusion. The team is jointly operated by a deep assortment of part-owners who sometimes put out different messages. Operating owner Vivek Ranadive reportedly wants to keep Cousins, but part-owner Shaquille O'Neal shared a different vision in which the Kings could move him.

Reports vary based on the source, and there's apparently no shortage of voices in Sacramento.

All that said, being the subject of constant trade speculation doesn't necessarily reflect upon Cousins' desires. He remains committed to the franchise, and hasn't once publicly demanded a trade despite playing through difficult circumstances in his seven seasons with Sacramento.

"I got a season and a whole other season," he said. "I focus on these guys right here; I focus on winning games; I focus on making the playoffs. That's it."