Utah Jazz would draft Cousins if he slid to No. 9

SALT LAKE CITY — It probably won't come to this.

Plugged-in Yahoo.com NBA writer Adrian Wojnarowski, in fact, cited multiple unidentified "sources with direct knowledge of Kings plans" in reporting via Twitter that "Sacramento has decided" to select University of Kentucky center DeMarcus Cousins with its No. 5 overall pick in tonight's NBA Draft.

ESPN.com subsequently refuted that, writing that an unidentified "team source disputes a report that the Kings have made up their mind," but did concede that "the consensus remains with Cousins."

And even if Sacramento changes its mind and he does for some reason slide a spot or two from there, it's doubtful he'd get past Detroit at No. 7.

But what would happen if Cousins slid all the way to Utah at No. 9 in tonight's NBA Draft?

Weight concerns and other issues would have to be considered; the nearly 6-foot-11 (with shoes) Cousins checked in at 292 pounds at the recent NBA pre-draft camp in Chicago, and the 19-year-old's maturity has come in question.

Yet the rebounding machine (9.8 boards and 15.1 points per game in his lone freshman season) also is exponentially more talented than anybody else who'd be available at nine, and he could be a future NBA All-Star.

So just what would the Jazz do?

Indications are they'd take him in a heartbeat, supposed flaws notwithstanding.

The Jazz wanted to bring Cousins to Utah for a workout this month, but his agent wouldn't allow it. They did interview him, however, in Chicago — and evidently weren't dissuaded by what they heard.

e-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com