Kings Center DeMarcus Cousins Is No Head Case

Article first published as Kings Center DeMarcus Cousins Is No Head Case on Blogcritics.

Over the summer, DeMarcus Cousins’ maturity and work ethic were constantly under fire by the media, being labeled a head case even before he was drafted.

Yes, it’s true that the 6'11'' 270-pound center did have some problems while attending high school in Alabama and showed some immaturity while at Kentucky, but he can‘t be held responsible in the NBA for something that‘s happened in the past.

It’s funny that a 20-year-old rookie who hasn’t played one game gets treated like he's the next Ron Artest or Derrick Coleman. He hasn’t played a preseason game, was stellar in the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging 14.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks per game, and earned Rookie of the Month honors.

Five NBA Players to Watch: Pacific Division Edition

This is the first of a six-part series that I'm working on finding five players from five different teams to watch in each division.

Rather than start with the Eastern Conference I'm working backwards, starting from the Pacific Division, home of the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers, Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings.

Can the Bobcats go back to the Playoffs?

For the first time since the team was created in 2004, the Charlotte Bobcats made the playoffs for the first time last season, finishing with a franchise-best 44-38 record and clinching the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. They were swept by the Orlando Magic, however, in the first round, 4-0.

The Bobcats' core consisted of Gerald Wallace, Stephen Jackson, Raymond Felton, Tyrus Thomas, Boris Diaw, D.J. Augustin, Larry Hughes, Nazr Mohammed, Tyson Chandler and Theo Ratliff.

Felton, Chandler, Hughes and Ratliff are gone but the team has brought in seven new players to their roster. Erick Dampier, who is one of those new players, could be on the trading block with his completely non-guaranteed contract worth $13 million.

Along with Dampier, the Bobcats also brought back guard Matt Carroll in a trade, signed Kwame Brown, Dominic McGuire, Eduardo Najera and Shaun Livingston, and drafted Sherron Collins. The Eastern Conference won't be as easy as last season.