Matt Barnes criticizes Kings for DeMarcus Cousins trade

The gloves have officially come off now that Matt Barnes is no longer a member of the Sacramento Kings.

In an interview with Chris Haynes of ESPN that was published on Friday, the veteran swingman was highly critical of the Kings for trading away former teammate DeMarcus Cousins.

“It was a tough situation for all of us,” said Barnes. “They were so adamant about not trading him. I mean, I understand this is a business and you got to do what’s best for the franchise, but when you go out of your way time and time again to say you’re not going to do something and then do something and not consulting someone is a funny way of handling it, to say the least.

“That was bad. That was a bad way it went down,” he continued. “But my hat’s off to DeMarcus the way he handled it. To give everything he gave to that franchise and for it to go down the way it went down at the end is a tough pill to swallow. But he stayed professional, said the right things. Even though he may have felt another way, he said the right stuff and that’s all that matters.”

The 37-year-old Barnes was actually collateral damage in the deal that sent Cousins to New Orleans as the Kings had to waive him to make room for the return package they got for the three-time All-Star center. Barnes then went on to sign with the Golden State Warriors.

Though they were only teammates for a few months, Barnes and Cousins bonded with each other and often hung out together off the court (as you may remember from this infamous incident they were involved in last December). Cousins hasn’t been shy about expressing his bitterness over the trade since it happened, and it’s not surpising that those close to him feel the same way.