Golden State Warriors: 3 expectations for DeMarcus Cousins' return

Golden State Warriors: 3 expectations for DeMarcus Cousins’ return

OAKLAND, CA - JANUARY 16: DeMarcus Cousins #0 of the Golden State Warriors laughs prior to a game against the New Orleans Pelicans on January 16, 2019 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images) /

3. Growing pains for Golden State

The Warriors have been blessed with a core group of players who are not only extremely talented at what they do, but are also incredibly unselfish and willing to defer at a moment’s notice to another teammate with the hot hand.

That same core has played together for so long now, they know everyone’s tendencies and where they’ll be on the court. There’s a chemistry level you can’t force, and it’s what makes Golden State as dominant as it is.

By agreeing to just a one-year deal worth only $5.3 million, Cousins understands his role within the team. It’s likely he won’t do anything to rock the boat, but the same can’t necessarily be said for his teammates.

Think about when Kevin Durant first arrived in the Bay Area. In trying so hard to integrate him, the Warriors slipped if only just a bit, going the extra mile even if it meant making sacrifices along the way because they knew that ultimately, those sacrifices would pay off in the long run.

A similar scenario may play out with Cousins. In wanting him to be at his best ASAP, Golden State may look to empower him early on with more touches than expected, but given his likely rusty status, it might not be the most effective strategy to win games in the beginning stages of this experiment.

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