Warriors land in ‘Group of Death’ for upcoming NBA In-Season Tournament

The Golden State Warriors have been placed in a challenging "Group of Death" for the NBA Cup's group stage, alongside the Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, and Portland Trail Blazers.

This draw is particularly difficult because the Rockets and Nuggets are considered two of the top Western Conference contenders behind the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Rockets, who finished the season with the conference's second-best record and defeated the Warriors in the playoffs, strengthened their roster this offseason by adding Kevin Durant, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Clint Capela without losing core players. The Nuggets, who pushed the Thunder to seven games in the Western Conference Semifinals, improved their depth with additions like Cam Johnson, Tim Hardaway Jr., Bruce Brown, and Jonas Valančiūnas.

Furthermore, the group includes two potential Western Conference sleepers: the Spurs and the Trail Blazers. The Spurs are optimistic about the development of their young core, including Victor Wembanyama, De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, and Devin Vassell. The Trail Blazers focused on bolstering their emerging defense by acquiring veteran point guard Jrue Holiday this offseason.

While the Warriors' ultimate goals for the 2025-26 season extend far beyond winning the in-season tournament, the NBA Cup provides early high-intensity competition. Being in this tough group offers the Warriors opportunities to gauge themselves against key Western Conference rivals early in the regular season. A strong performance could boost their confidence, while struggles might prompt General Manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. to pursue more aggressive trades before the deadline.