demarcus cousins

You know those relationships where two people fight constantly and seem to totally hate each other but stay together for whatever reason? Maybe it’s a kid keeping them invested in each other or maybe it’s shared history or unhealthy codependence. Or, in the case of DeMarcus Cousins and the Sacramento Kings, maybe it’s $207 million.

According to James Ham of CSN Bay Area, Cousins will sign a max-money extension “barring a late change in direction by either side.”

Cousins contract will be so large thanks to the “designated player” provision in the new CBA, which allows a team to add a star player for five years beyond his current contract and pay him up to 35 percent of the salary cap. If this deal becomes official, he’ll be in Sacramento through 2022-23.

The problem with Cousins’ desire to stay with the Kings? His time there has been kind of a mess from the start. He’s feuded with numerous coaches, reportedly requested a trade, criticized the team’s draft picks and berated a reporter. Meanwhile, Sacramento has never won more than 33 games with Cousins in uniform. For years, we’ve waited patiently for Cousins to be traded to a contender. Instead, he appears to be sticking around one of the NBA’s most dysfunctional teams.

On Tuesday night, after a 100-94 win over the Pistons, Cousins was asked about extension talks. He grabbed a microphone, quizzed reporters about whether they’d like to see him stay, then said, “Well guess what people? I’m here.”

It sounds like Cousins will be in Sacramento for quite a while. After all, people always think their toxic relationship can be salvaged.

About Alex Putterman

Alex is a writer and editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. He has written for The Atlantic, VICE Sports, MLB.com, SI.com and more. He is a proud alum of Northwestern University and The Daily Northwestern. You can find him on Twitter @AlexPutterman.