Stephen Curry Expects Heated Warriors-Lakers Rivalry With LeBron James, Discusses Cousins Signing

en Curry is looking forward to a different Golden State Warriors-Los Angeles Lakers rivalry now that LeBron James is in town.

James joined the Lakers last month on a four-year deal after opting out of his Cleveland Cavaliers contract, and will be tasked with guiding a young team back to the glory years with their last championship win coming in 2010.

The move to the Staples Center also means the 33-year-old is in the Western Conference for the first time in his career which could now see two of the Warriors, Lakers and Houston Rockets not making the NBA Finals in 2019.

Having faced James in four consecutive NBA Finals, Curry is looking forward to facing him in four regular season meetings now and expects an even more heated rivalry with the Lakers, now that they are expected to challenge again.

"And a whole new-look Laker team with some of the young kids. It should be fun, the Bay Area and L.A. and the whole thing," Curry told The Associated Press, as per WEEI. "When I first got into the league [the] Oracle [arena] would be buzzing any time the Lakers came in."

"There probably will be a revolution of Laker fans that are going to try to creep in but I hope Bay Area and Dub Nation we keep control of that competition because we're on top right now," he said.

But while the Lakers were strengthened, so were the Warriors. After winning their third championship in four years, the Bay Area side went on to add free agent DeMarcus Cousins to their ranks using their midlevel exception, after the former New Orleans Pelicans claimed he did not receive any offers.

Once he's fit to return from a torn Achilles tendon suffered in January, the Warriors, who have the luxury of waiting for his recovery, could be the first team since the Boston Celtics in 1975/76 to field a starting lineup solely consisting of All-Stars.

Curry thought the way the Warriors ended up getting Cousins was "interesting" and is excited to play alongside an even better team as they look to complete a three-peat next season.

"It's interesting because nobody going into free agency thought about DeMarcus as an option then all of a sudden he found his way onto our team," Curry added. "So for us to have a new dynamic, a new look, whenever he's fully healthy it should be amazing. I think we got better."

"Obviously we lost some pieces that were very vital to us winning a championship but you've got to evolve, you've got to find different things to focus on as you're trying to repeat, so it should be exciting," he said.

Cousins is expected to be back in action in December at the very least. Chris Boucher was waived by the Warriors while JaVale McGee will notably become a teammate of James with the Lakers after becoming a free agent.

Zaza Pachulia became a free agent before joining the Detroit Pistons while Patrick McCaw is currently a restricted free agent, expected to sign a $1.74 million qualifying offer.