Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

NBA legend Charles Barkley crowns two West teams after wild offseason

By Fran Leiva | Last updated Jul 28, 2025 3:34 PM ET

Charles Barkley doesn’t usually hold back, and this summer was no exception.

When asked which NBA teams had the best offseason, Barkley didn’t hesitate to point to the Nuggets and the Rockets as the big winners in the West.

Speaking to the Denver Post, the Hall of Famer praised Denver for smartly rounding out its rotation and highlighted Houston’s aggressive move to acquire Kevin Durant as a true game-changer.

For the Nuggets, Barkley applauded how they rebuilt the depth that was missing last season. After winning the 2023 title and then falling short in the postseason, Denver responded by adding proven veterans like Cam Johnson, Tim Hardaway Jr., Bruce Brown and Jonas Valanciunas. The core of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray is still elite, but now they have the supporting cast to match. Barkley emphasized that Denver didn’t go for flashy signings — it made basketball moves that addressed real weaknesses.

On Houston’s side, Barkley gave it credit for finally leaping. The Rockets weren’t shy about going all-in when they landed Durant earlier this summer. With him now flanked by players like Dorian Finney-Smith and a strong young core including Jalen Green, Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr., the team has become both dynamic and dangerous. Barkley mentioned that Houston now looks like a legitimate threat to compete at the highest level and could be one of the few squads built to challenge the Thunder’s dominance out West.

He also went a step further. Barkley said Denver probably has the best shot of knocking off the Thunder, pointing to its experience and the way Jokic can control the pace of a playoff series. That’s no small compliment, especially considering how young and fast OKC is. Barkley has never been shy about criticizing teams that fail to build around their stars, so giving this kind of nod to the Nuggets and Rockets says a lot about what he thinks of their direction.

While other teams made moves, too — the Clippers reloaded, the Lakers reshuffled and the Warriors tweaked their rotation — none of them got Barkley’s stamp of approval quite like Denver and Houston. And it makes sense. Denver now has lineup flexibility and postseason poise, and Houston has a clear identity with Durant as the centerpiece.

In the end, Barkley’s message is pretty simple: it’s not just about who has the most stars. It’s about building a real team. And heading into training camp, he believes the Nuggets and Rockets did exactly that. With the West more crowded than ever and OKC sitting at the top, Barkley’s prediction suggests both teams are ready to make real noise come April.

Fran Leiva

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