The Bee's Jason Jones poses five questions that the Kings should ponder over the All-Star break:
1. Is center DeMarcus Cousins an elite player?
Not yet. Cousins is an elite talent, but he has some work to do before he can be classified as one of the best players in the game. Cousins is shooting a career-best 45.3 percent in his third season, but elite centers shoot higher than 50 percent. Consistency, improvement, maturity and better decision making will keep Cousins on course to becoming an All-Star.
2. Can Tyreke Evans be a dominant shooting guard?
Yes, if his jump shot becomes reliable and he stays healthy and becomes more aggressive. Evans is shooting a career-best 48 percent but is just 29.5 percent from 15 to 24 feet. Too often, he has stretches where he's not a factor on either end of the court, and his scoring is down to 15.3 points per game. The Kings need him closer to 20 points.
3. Will the Kings make a deal at the trade deadline?
Don't hold your breath. "It's very unlikely we'd move any of our top players at this point," basketball president Geoff Petrie said. The unsettled ownership situation has put deals on hold. The Kings' most desirable player is Cousins, but even before the ownership situation became uncertain, the Kings weren't dealing him.
4. Is the relocation talk hurting the Kings on the floor?
Yes. The players all say it's not an excuse, but they are 3-10 since the announcement that the Maloofs had agreed to sell a controlling share of the team to a Seattle-based group.
5. Have the Kings' offseason moves paid off?
No. Aaron Brooks hasn't been the steadying presence the team hoped he'd be at point guard, and he hasn't been used much in recent games. James Johnson was brought in to solidify the small forward spot, but his playing time has diminished, too. Rookie Thomas Robinson, however, has progressed as a reserve after a slow start.
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