Warriors Already Slipping in Western Conference Arms Race After Quiet Free Agency Start originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The slow start to free agency has been far from ideal for the Golden State Warriors. Teams around them are quickly getting better while the Warriors stand pat.
Advertisement
Some prime examples of the worsening situation for Golden State would be looking to two other contenders in the Western Conference. The Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets have both quickly armed themselves for 2025-26.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts after being fouled against the Houston Rockets in the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Chase Center.Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
The Rockets got going before free agency even started. Their addition of Kevin Durant via trade from the Phoenix Suns quickly moved them up the pecking order in the West.
The Warriors, who just scraped by the Rockets in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, continued to watch Houston get better after 6:00 PM ET passed on Monday. The Rockets stole a potential center option from the Warriors.
Advertisement
Clint Capela was on his way back to Houston after signing a three-year, $21.5 million deal in free agency. Along with the addition of Dorian Finney-Smith to open free agency, the Rockets look like a force heading into 2025-26.
The Nuggets also came out of the gates with ambition in their eyes. Denver quickly moved to free themselves of Michael Porter Jr. and his massive contract.
The Nuggets traded their starting forward, alongside a first-round pick, to the Brooklyn Nets for Cameron Johnson. That is not only a substantial upgrade, but clears a healthy amount of money owed off the books.
Denver stayed aggressive thereafter, signing former champion Bruce Brown to a one-year deal. The versatile wing returns to the place where a strong playoff run in 2023 earned him a healthy pay day.
Advertisement
After both of those moves, the Nuggets are still poised to add more in free agency. Meanwhile, the Warriors remain quiet.
Naturally, Golden State has to answer the Jonathan Kuminga question as a big tipping point of their free agency plans. Even with that hold-up, the Warriors have plenty of work to do in order to keep up with what is happening around them.
Related: Warriors Running Out of Center Options as Free Agency Spiral Continues
Related: Warriors Leave Promising Center Out of Summer League Plans
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.