METAIRIE, La. -- DeMarcus Cousins, wearing a hat and hooded sweatshirt with the word "Loyalty" printed on the front of each, went into Beast Mode when he was asked about his meeting Friday with the Sacramento Kings, the team he spent six-plus seasons with before being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans over this year's All-Star Weekend.
"Just go in, play hard and try to get a win," he said, echoing similar phrases for the first five questions posed by reporters on Thursday at the Pelicans' practice facility.
But the big smile on Cousins' face said otherwise.