The Kings reportedly do not consider suspended DeMarcus Cousins untouchable. (Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)

DeMarcus Cousins, currently under indefinite suspension by the Kings for yelling at coach Keith Smart in the locker room on Friday, told USA Today he wants to stay in Sacramento.

Cousins, 22, has a history of incidents, blow-ups — and asking out of Sacramento.

Previous outbursts and discipline issues in high school and at Kentucky hovered over Cousins before the Kings selected him with the fifth overall pick of the 2010 NBA Draft.

Cousins has already been suspended twice by the NBA this season, although the earlier suspensions were handed down by the NBA. He received a one-game suspension for hitting Mavs guard O.J. Mayo, and a two-game suspension after confronting Spurs broadcaster Sean Elliott after a game.

In January, he demanded a trade — unbeknownst to his agent, John Greig, who Cousins reportedly fired last week. Adding a twist is the fact that Cousins’ new one agent, Dan Fegan, recently helped Dwight Smith force his way out of Orlando and land with the Lakers.

Despite his new agent’s history, Cousins apparently is not making trade demands after his locker room tirade.

“I want to be in Sacramento,” he told USA TODAY Sports.

Asked if he wanted to be in Sacramento for the long term and if he could see himself wanting to sign another contract with the team either this summer (by way of an extension) or when his rookie deal expires after next season and he would become a restricted free agent, Cousins paused for some three seconds before answering.

“I want to be in Sacramento,” he repeated. “The possibility does exist. It’s a possibility.”

While the Kings have taken firm stands with Cousins after each incident, the team is not looking to trade one of the centerpieces of their rebuilding plan, especially when he’s averaging a team-high 16.6 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. But a trade is not totally out of the question according to USA Today.

But a person with knowledge of the Kings’ plans said “he’s not untouchable,” in large part because the 8-18 team is struggling so mightily and all options appear to be under consideration.

Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins was suspended indefinitely for “unprofessional behavior.” (Sam Forencich/Getty Images)

The Sacramento Kings announced Saturday that they have suspended big man DeMarcus Cousins indefinitely for “unprofessional behavior and conduct detrimental to the team.” Cousins was benched following a verbal altercation with his coach during a loss to the Clippers on Friday night.

This is the third time Cousins has been suspended this year. He was previously suspended for an altercation with Spurs announcer and former player Sean Ellott and for hitting Mavericks guard O.J. Mayo in the groin during a game.

Cousins, 22, has been plagued by immaturity since he entered the league as the fifth overall pick in 2010. His altercation with head coach Keith Smart was the second publicized such incident in his three seasons, as he also clashed with ex-coach Paul Westphal.

Still, the 6-foot-11 power forward/center is averaging 16.6 points and 9.5 rebounds this season. His play has been wildly inconsistent and earlier this month he said that he has been “terrible” and does not have “any confidence.”

At 8-18, the Kings have the second-worst record in the Western Conference. They play a home-and-home with the Trail Blazers on Sunday and Wednesday before playing home games against the Knicks and Celtics to close out the year.

A war of words between Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins and Dallas Mavericks guard O.J. Mayo reached a new low today. The NBA issued a one-game suspension to Cousins for striking Mayo “in the groin area” during the Kings’ 23-point loss to the Mavs on Monday night, according to a tweet Wednesday evening from Ian Begley of ESPN.

Cousins, who admitted earlier this month that he’s been “terrible” this season and doesn’t have “any confidence,” had been exchanging words with Mayo through the media throughout this week. Mayo had said that Cousins has “mental issues,” is “immature” and questioned his ability to become a franchise player for Sacramento. Cousins responded, saying to The Sacramento Bee that Mayo doesn’t have a great reputation and shouldn’t be making comments about being a franchise player since he isn’t one with the Mavericks and wasn’t one with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Cousins also said he didn’t hit Mayo on purpose:

“In slow motion, it looks like I did it on purpose. But you look in real speed, you see what happened. Of course it’s gonna get thrown out there that I did it on purpose.”

The suspension will take effect for tonight’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Footage of the play that resulted in Cousins’ suspension can be seen below.

NBA suspends Demarcus Cousins one game without pay for striking O.J. Mayo "in the groin area."—
Ian Begley (@IanBegley) December 12, 2012

Kings center DeMarcus Cousins has shot under 42 percent from the floor this season. (Rocky Widner/Getty Images)

Sacramento Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins showed promise last season in averaging 18.1 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, both improvements on his rookie year numbers.

But this season, the oft-maligned former No. 5 pick has taken a step backward, posting averages of 16.0 points and 9.5 rebounds while shooting just 41.7 percent from the field for the 4-12 Kings. In comments to The Sacramento Bee‘s Ailene Voison, Cousins said he has “been terrible” this season.

“We’re losing. I don’t feel like I made improvements from last year. I really don’t have any confidence at all. I’m just trying to think my way through it, but right now, I’m not finding anything.”

Cousins, who has a reputation for being immature and clashing with coaches,  was benched by coach Keith Smart on Saturday for a lack of hustle and has experienced numerous other problems that Voison described.

Overdribbling. Driving into crowds of defenders. Ignoring open teammates. Failing to rotate. Fingerpointing in the locker room. Frowns, glares and head shakes on the court.

He’s tied with New York’s Carmelo Anthony for the most technicals (five) in the league, and his ongoing tiffs with officials clearly are limiting his effectiveness. He is too easily distracted by bad calls or non-calls, often lingering and complaining instead of busting downcourt and matching up with his man.

The 22-year-old center was suspended earlier this season for a confrontation with Spurs TV analyst Sean Elliott. Both head coach Keith Smart and assistant Clifford Ray said that the suspension has affected Cousins’ play.

DeMarcus Cousins will have his two-game suspension appealed by the NBA Players Association. (Rocky Widner, Getty Images)

The NBA Players Association will appeal the league’s two-game suspension of Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins, according to NBA reporter Chris Sheridan.

Cousins was suspended for two games by the NBA after a confrontation with San Antonio Spurs broadcaster and former NBA forward Sean Elliott. Elliott criticized Cousins for trash-talking with Spurs forward Tim Duncan during Sacramento’s 97-86 loss on November 9th. Afterwards, Cousins waited in uniform for Elliott to finish his post-game responsibilities, after which the two were seen having a heated verbal exchange.

“We recognize the Commissioner’s desire to discourage confrontations between players and members of the media, but he needs to exercise more subtlety and discretion in ascertaining and examining the specific facts and circumstances before handing down such heavy-handed discipline,” union director Billy Hunter said.

The NBA reportedly denied Kings’ center DeMarcus Cousins appeal request. Cousins was suspended two games by the league for confronting a broadcaster. (Rocky Widner/NBA/Getty Images)

The NBA denied an appeal request that would have allowed Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins to play in Tuesday night’s game against the Portland Trailblazers, reports USA TODAY.

Cousins was suspended two games by the NBA for “confronting” San Antonio Spurs broadcaster and former Spurs player Sean Elliott in a “hostile manner” after Friday’s 97-86 loss to San Antonio.  He served the first game of the suspension on Sunday when his team played without him against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Kings also lost that contest.

The National Basketball Players Association was set to appeal the two-game suspension.

The National Basketball Players Association is expected to issue a statement in strong disagreement with the ruling either tonight or on Wednesday morning.

Ellliott was critical of Cousins for trash talk that took place between him and Spurs forward Tim Duncan. Cousins is averaging 17.3 points and 9.9 rebounds per game this season. The Kings’ next game is a home contest against the Atlanta Hawks.

DeMarcus Cousins is appealing his two-game suspension. (Rocky Widner/Getty Images)

Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins may not have to serve the length of the two-game suspension that was handed down to him by the NBA on Nov. 10. According to Ailene Voisin of The Sacaremnto Bee, the NBA Players Association is appealing his case to the league to make the point that Cousins’ penalty is too severe.

Following the Kings’ loss to the San Antonio Spurs last week, Cousins reportedly confronted TV analyst and former Spurs player Sean Elliott near the locker room of the Kings’ new Sleep Train Arena in what the league said was a “hostile manner.” Cousins was reportedly upset with comments Elliott had made on TV about him.

But time is not on Cousins’ side; he already sat out his first game on Sunday in Los Angeles against the Lakers. His agent, John Greig, reportedly said there will be more news today on the matter as he continues to appeal the suspension.

The Kings are back in Sacramento tonight for a game against the Portland Trailblazers.

The Kings picked up team options of DeMarcus Cousins and Jimmer Fredette. (Rocky Widner/Getty Images)

The Sacramento Kings are trying to make sure they have some fans coming to the newly christened Sleep Train Arena for the future by picking up the team options on forward DeMarcus Cousins and guard Jimmer Fredette, reports CBSSports.com.

Cousins and Fredette had their options for the 2013-14 season picked up and Fredette also has a team option for ’14-’15.

Cousins will be entering his third season. He averaged 18.1 points and 11 rebounds per game last season on 45 percent shooting.  Fredette averaged 7.6 points in his rookie season, playing just over 18 minutes a game.

Cousins and Fredette had their options for 2013-14 picked up. Fredette also has a team option for '14-'15.—
Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) October 17, 2012

During a postgame interview with reporters after the Kings’ season finale against the Lakers, Sacramento Kings power forward DeMarcus Cousins said he hoped to be invited to Las Vegas, and if so, expected to make the final roster for the 2012 U.S. Olympic roster, according to the Sacramento Bee.

“I mean, who wouldn’t want to play for Team USA?” Cousins said to reporters. “Go over there and represent your country. I would love to do it.”  Asked if he thought he’d make the team, Cousins said, ”I probably would get a spot (on the Olympic team). Honestly … but we’ll see.”

On Tuesday from Las Vegas, USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo politely declined of the possibility for Cousins to be selected to play on the team this year saying, ” We’ve been told he is very interested… and that will get him in the cycle for (future) teams.”

Despite his off and on-court issues during his rookie year last season, Cousins  lifted every facet of his game this season for the Kings, averaging of 18.1 points and 11 rebounds, including a league-leading 4.1 on the offensive end.

DeMarcus Cousins and Blake Griffin are two of the biggest young stars in the NBA, but apparently they haven’t grown too fond of each other during their first two years in the league. Cousins called Griffin out last night for flopping to earn cheap foul calls, according to the Sacramento Bee.

“I guess the wind from my hand hit him in the eye,” Cousins said of his fifth foul, when he swiped at the ball and Griffin got the whistle after grabbing his eye. “I guess he got fouled by the wind.”

Cousins played just 18 minutes and 28 seconds of the Kings’ 93-85 loss to the L.A. Clippers at Power Balance Pavilion in Sacramento. He had eight points and three rebounds before fouling out late.

While Griffin claimed he was fouled on the play in question, Cousins vehemently disagreed.

“[Griffin is] in L.A. where actors belong,” Cousins said. “He’s an actor, so of course he would say that.”

The plot thickens, as we’re treated to a rematch of the two young rivals right away. The Kings play the Clippers again in Los Angeles on Saturday.

En route to earning their sixth straight win, the veteran San Antonio Spurs impressed the young up-start Sacramento Kings, according to The Sacramento Bee.

“(Expletive) you’re good,” 21-year old Kings center DeMarcus Cousins recalled telling legendary Spurs big man Tim Duncan.

Kings guard Isaiah Thomas was also impressed by the Spurs veteran savvy.

“Every little mistake, they capitalized on it,” said Thomas. “We played good D for about 19, 20 seconds and then that little mistake we had, whatever it might have been, they just do what championship teams do – they found a little hole and they went through it.”

Duncan finished the game with 18 points and eight rebounds. Cousins contributed 25 points and 11 rebounds on the night.

The New Jersey Nets, who have struggled without star big man Brook Lopez early on this season, are interested in Sacramento Kings forward DeMarcus Cousins, according to ESPN New York.

Cousins, 21, has had an even more tumultuous 2011-12 with the Kings than he did his rookie season. Most recently, he made headlines when Kings head coach Paul Westphal asked Cousins to stay home on the club’s latest road trip after the he said Cousins demanded a trade.

Cousins’ agent told SI.com that the second year big man had not in fact requested a trade, and Kings co-owner Joe Maloof told the media that the team was not looking to trade him.

The Kings drafted Cousins with the No. 5 pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. In his rookie season he averaged 14.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.

Joe Maloof, one of the owners of the Sacramento Kings, says the team has no intentions of trading DeMarcus Cousins, according to the Sacramento Bee.

“We leave that stuff (the benching) to the basketball people,” Maloof told the Sacramento Bee before tipoff, “but we’re not trading him.”

It was reported yesterday that Cousins was told to stay home by the Kings on their most recent road trip after the often troubled big man had demanded a trade. The Kings released this statement prior to Sacramento’s game on Sunday:

”DeMarcus Cousins has demanded to be traded. In the best interest of our team as we go forward, he has been directed by me, with the support of management, to stay home from the New Orleans game tonight.”

Sports Illustrated’s Sam Amick, however, spoke to Cousins’ agent and reports that the second year star did not demand a trade.

“DeMarcus never demanded a trade,” Cousins’ agent, John Greig told SI.com. “I’m surprised the Kings, if they believe the player wanted a trade, wouldn’t have made a phone call to his representative. Maybe Westphal is just feeling the heat early this season.”

Several media outlets are reporting that the Sacramento Kings have told forward DeMarcus Cousins to stay home for tonight’s game against the New Orleans Hornets after the second-year player demanded a trade.

The Kings and coach Paul Westphal released a statement earlier Sunday: ”DeMarcus Cousins has demanded to be traded. In the best interest of our team as we go forward, he has been directed by me, with the support of management, to stay home from the New Orleans game tonight.”

There are conflicting reports on whether Cousins asked for a trade or not. SI.com’s Sam Amick tweeted that Cousins’ agent has said that the reports are erroneous.

Cousins' agent, John Greig, tells SI.com: "DeMarcus never demanded a trade. I'm surprised the Kings, if they believe the player wanted…"—
Sam Amick (@sam_amick) January 01, 2012

Greig: "…a trade, wouldn't have made a phone call to his representative. Maybe Westphal is just feeling the heat early this season."—
Sam Amick (@sam_amick) January 01, 2012

Cousins’ agent, John Greig’s statement to SI.com reads in full: “DeMarcus never demanded a trade. I’m surprised the Kings, if they believe the player wanteda trade, wouldn’t have made a phone call to his representative. Maybe Westphal is just feeling the heat early this season.”