Will DeMarcus Cousins joining the Golden State Warriors come in the way of LeBron James' 9th consecutive Finals trajectory?

All-star center, DeMarcus Cousins, agreed to a one-year $5.3 million dollar contract with the Golden State Warriors this past summer. Golden State’s starting five now consists of five players who all made the All-Star Game last year.

It would've been the biggest tectonic shift of power in the league had LeBron James not signed for the Los Angeles Lakers during the same window in time. But now that we have two blockbuster trades at hands - both adding a couple of extra powerhouses to the already buffed West - we can hover over the possibility of them coming in each others' way when the season kicks off.

Both LeBron and Boogie are plausible projections for the West Finals next season, but for entirely different reasons. LeBron has reached the biggest stage of them all for the past eight seasons, four with the Heat and the rest with the Cavaliers, and even though he finds himself amongst a whole new squad yet again, you can never count out the Best Player on the Planet from rising to the occasion once again.

On the other hand, Cousins averaged 25.2 points and 12.4 rebounds per game in his previous season with the Pelicans before going down with a torn left Achilles injury. His 'Resurgence' workout clips have so far shown that he'll be returning earlier than the Warriors expect and might provide some much-needed firepower during the last few games of the regular season on their way to another successful playoffs run, and quite possibly, another Finals appearance.

Against a mammoth force like Golden State, there is only a minimal margin of error one can afford, as was perfectly demonstrated by JR Smith in Game 1 of the 2018 Finals. In retrospect, LeBron scored his heart out to give his team a fighting start in the 7-game series, and just that single oversight at the end, led to a Game 1 loss, and eventually, a humiliating Finals sweep.

Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Steph Curry had all averaged 20 or more points in the previous season and are more than capable of turning the match on its head single-handedly. It was proved time and again during the last season that the absence of Curry and/or Durant doesn't pose that big a danger to GSW as the absence of Harden would to the Rockets.

They have enough ammo to last them 5-10 games before the stars get back on track. The inclusion of Cousins just adds to the sheer air of greatness that already floats around the Golden State locker room.

DeMarcus Cousins joined Golden State to win a title, and there's a high probability he'll do exactly that. Also, Joining the Warriors, who already have a staggering lineup of All-NBA talent, should allow Cousins enough time to comfortably recover from his injury, ensuring an emphatic comeback under no distinct pressure. This would mean an extra impending danger around the corner for LeBron and his title hopes.

Drawing parallels from what we have already seen, LeBron and Cousins may find themselves stacked against each other down the line, when the Finals trophy will be within striking distance. Anybody in the West should pose a threat to LeBron's Finals legacy, but when push comes to shove, it becomes the need of the hour to overcome Golden State and all the stars it accommodates.