Ex-Warriors player expects OKC will start ‘more powerful’ dynasty to outlast the Stephen Curry era

DeMarcus Cousins believes the Thunder are built for unprecedented longevity

Oklahoma City is headed to the NBA Finals, where they’ll take on the Indiana Pacers for a shot at their first championship since relocating.

“It’s absolutely the start of the dynasty. I think it’s a dynasty that’ll be even more powerful than what we saw with the Warriors,” Cousins said on Run It Back Podcast.

“And the reason I say that, when the Warriors were in their heyday and they had everything rolling, they never had the assets that this Thunder team has,” Cousins explained.

“This Thunder team is probably built to be successful for the next 10, 12 years, which is unheard of in the NBA,” he added.

Oklahoma City’s trade assets create unlimited flexibility

Cousins pointed to specific reasons behind his bold prediction. He believes the main factor isn’t only the young core the Thunder possesses, but also their unprecedented asset collection.

Beyond three picks this year, including the 15th and 24th overall selections, OKC also holds six first-round picks through 2031. That represents valuable currency they can use for trades to acquire depth or replace injured players.

“They have all the assets coming up. They run into an injury, they have the assets to go get another superstar to replace an injury,” Cousins said.

“I think that they’re the model right now. I think a lot of teams will start trying to copy the model, or this blueprint that they’ve put out, collecting all these assets, building up young players, especially for these smaller markets,” he explained.