I'm split on the punishment handed down. What he did was immature, and not something rookies should be doing. The loss makes it look worse. Something needed to be done.
I agree 100% with the fine. A fine and a stern talking to away from the media would ahve been enough for me. If you want to suspend him for a game, while I think it would be a bit much, I would still understand.
But pulling him from the starting lineup indefinitely? Overreaction, and using Cousins as a scape goat to take the attention away from the more glaring issues.
A suspension for a game is a clear message, and only effects the rest of the team on the court for a game. Doing it indefinitely will now drag this thing on longer than it needs to be dragged about, and effects the play of the entire team indefinitely. Right now, given Tyreke's struggles, Cousins is either our best or 2nd best player.
Throwing Sammy and Landry out there as starters not only changes our starting lineup indefinitely again, but IMO, puts out a worse frontline. Sit Cousins for a game, and when JT comes back next game, put them both back in the starting lineup.
There was also the articles on hoopsworld today that, if true, implies other players have aproblem with the benching of Cousins. He didn't show up late for practice, fall asleep during a film sessions, argue with coaches, get tossed from a game, or do many of the things which directly effects the play of the team. What he did doesn't scream "bad teammate".
So yes, I agree something had to be done, but to the extent it effects the entire team indefinitely, and takes the attention of the poor play and coaching away from the team and puts it on a 20 year old, is extreme, and somewhat cowardly of Westphal, IMO.