Golden State Warriors: 2018-19 NBA season preview

2. The integration of DeMarcus Cousins

The acquisition of DeMarcus Cousins by Golden State was far more complex than most deals tend to be.

Coming off arguably the most brutal injury a player can have, Boogie claimed to have received zero offers in free agency, prompting a call to the Warriors in the hopes they’d give him a chance to prove his worth once again.

They don’t need him to rush back to the court, and once healthy, his load will be significantly less than in years prior, affording the chance to ease his way back to star status. Still though, there are reasons, albeit small ones, that could make this partnership interesting.

Boogie is as gifted an offensive big man as there is in the league, but he’ll essentially be playing for a new contract and will want to earn as much money as possible when the time comes, possibly to the detriment of the team’s success.

One also has to consider the volatile temper that resides within Cousins, which, as has played out on numerous occasions, has the tendency to spill over into games. Golden State already has to manage one erupting volcano in Draymond Green. Dealing with two is a tough task for even the best organizations.

With all that’s already on the roster, GSW is uniquely prepared to house Cousins for the next year in ways no other team really could, but at the same time, the Warriors already have four All-Stars around. Trying to integrate a fifth sounds like a more daunting task than most realize.