ORLANDO, Fla. – Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum didn't call Sacramento a cow town or some of its residents semi-civilized.
That doesn't mean Kings fans didn't take his comments about DeMarcus Cousins as the latest verbal jab in a rivalry that was one of the best in the NBA 10 years ago.
The Lakers' All-Star center was asked for his opinion of the Kings' second-year center, DeMarcus Cousins.
Bynum feels bad for Cousins.
"He's a good player, definitely coming up," Bynum said. "It's terrible that he has to play in Sacramento. He could take his talents somewhere and really help a team."
Terrible?
"Yeah," Bynum said. "It's not working out."
Cousins didn't take much from Bynum's statement.
"Those are words coming from another man's mouth," Cousins said. "I don't know where he got the idea from. I guess you can take it as a compliment.
"Sacramento is where I want to be. I want to bring the organization back and start back winning. I love the city of Sacramento. That's where I want to be. End of story," Cousins said.
Cousins had taken a shot at Bynum in the past via Twitter. After the Lakers won the NBA championship in 2010, Cousins tweeted that "Bynum doesn't deserve to touch the trophy!"
Cousins didn't think Bynum's comments were a subliminal reply.
"I was just an outsider looking in," Cousins said with a smile. "That was nothing. That was me being me. It's nothing."
Cousins added that there is nothing to any suggestion that he wants out of Sacramento.
"We can dig a hole, throw that topic in there and cover it with dirt and pack it down, Cousins said. "I want to be in Sacramento, end of story."
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