The pros and cons of DeMarcus Cousins joining the Golden State Warriors
By KC Whitten
Con: Creates lack of parity
Even though the dynasty in Oakland creates interest, and is positive for the NBA, it also creates a lack of parity in the league. The Warriors were already favorites to win the championship in 2018-19. If Cousins is able to return to form, its doubtful the 29 other teams will be able to compete.
Golden State will have a literal All-Star team, with every position in the starting lineup featuring an All-Star player. Who can compete against that type of lineup? Only eight teams in league history have featured four All-Star players, and a team featuring five is unprecedented.
Although Cousins’ situation is unique, him agreeing to join the Dubs for significantly less money continues a potentially dangerous trend. Since LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined the Miami Heat in the summer of 2010, players across the league are leaving their current teams to join super-teams for less money.
Other than decreasing the salary cap, there’s not much commissioner Adam Silver can do to alleviate this problem. Star players earn substantial money on endorsements, and the earnings are often higher than their NBA contracts.
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The Western Conference is already far superior to the East. Besides the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers, the other franchises in the Eastern Conference aren’t competing with the top teams in the West. If this trend continues, we could witness an NBA for the next decade with only 1-2 viable teams able to compete for the championship.