Charles Barkley has singled out the Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets as the NBA teams with the most impactful offseason moves. Speaking to Sean Keeler of the Denver Post, Barkley praised both franchises for strengthening their rosters ahead of the 2025–26 season.
The Nuggets, who enter their 50th NBA campaign with new head coach David Adelman and interim GM Ben Tenzer, made several notable changes this summer. Despite trading away key players after their 2023 championship run, Denver retained Nikola Jokic, whom Barkley called “the best player in the world.” He added that the Nuggets focused on adding depth to complement Jokic.
“They probably had the best chance of beating OKC in the playoffs,” Barkley said. “So it’s not like they were that far off.” Denver’s summer acquisitions include Cameron Johnson, Jonas Valanciunas, Bruce Brown, and several veteran signings designed to bolster the team’s supporting cast.
Meanwhile, Houston made a headline-grabbing trade for Kevin Durant, acquiring the former Suns star in exchange for multiple picks and young talent. Barkley cited the Rockets’ moves alongside the Nuggets and Atlanta Hawks as among the best offseason efforts.
“Those three teams had the best summers,” Barkley noted. Houston’s frontcourt depth now features Durant alongside Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun, and Clint Capela.
