The Warriors landed in the NBA Cup’s ‘Group of Death’ alongside Kevin Durant’s Rockets.
The Golden State Warriors will sign a free agent at some point this summer with hopes of building a championship roster. While the Dubs are eyeing a trip to the NBA Finals, their players surely wouldn’t mind an in-season tournament victory (and the significant bonus checks attached). However, the NBA released the schedule for the group stages of the NBA Cup, and the Warriors landed one of the most difficult draws. Golden State will be squaring up against the Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, and Portland Trail Blazers in the group stage.
The Rockets and Nuggets are currently considered the two best Western Conference contenders behind the Oklahoma City Thunder. While the Warriors defeated the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, Houston finished the season with the second-best conference record and added Kevin Durant, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Clint Capela this offseason without gutting the core of their roster. Denver took the Thunder to seven games in the Western Conference Semifinals and improved their depth this offseason with the addition of Cam Johnson, Tim Hardaway Jr., Bruce Brown, and Jonas Valančiūnas.
The Blazers and Spurs are two favorite Western Conference sleepers as well. The Spurs are heading into next season hopeful that Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, and Devin Vassell will develop into the nucleus of a perennial contender around Wembanyama’s generational talent. The Blazers added veteran point guard Jrue Holiday this offseason in an effort to strengthen a burgeoning defense.
While the Warriors ultimate goals for the 2025-26 season far exceed the in-season tournament, the NBA Cup provided a rare opportunity for high-intensity games early in the regular season. After landing in this year’s “Group of Death” the Dubs will have some opportunities to see how they stack up to their Western Conference rivals. A strong showing could boost their confidence early in the season, while some struggles could lead general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. to make some more aggressive trades prior to the deadline.