Vlade Divac on Cousins trade: ‘If I go down, I’m going down my way’
Vlade Divac opened up about his reasoning behind the DeMarcus Cousins trade in an interview with the Sacramento Bee’s Ailene Voisin.
A wide-ranging discussion hit on the Kings GM’s thought process behind the deal, and in conclusion, Divac stated that he wanted to sink or swim his way.
Hired in March 2015 as a first-time NBA executive, Divac has been panned in addition to occasionally-meddling Kings owner Vivek Ranadive for the team’s personnel decisions. Dealing the mercurial but immensely talented Cousins will stand as the team’s most controversial move for some time.
From the Bee:
Q: Well, the pressure is on you now. It’s pretty clear that Divac, not Ranadive, is making the personnel decisions. Some people still can’t believe Ranadive actually stepped aside and allowed you to trade his favorite player.
A: That’s my job, and I take responsibility. And I totally understand why some fans would be upset. They supported DeMarcus, and I like DeMarcus a lot. But I believe we are going to be in a better position in two years. I want to hear again from these same people in two years. If I’m right, great. If I’m wrong, I’ll step down. But if I go down, I’m going down my way.
Read the full interview here.
