Charles Barkley is currently on holiday with his TV show Inside the NBA, but of course the Hall of Famer has opinions on all important NBA topics. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Barkley spoke about the big themes of the summer.
Barkley was critical of LeBron James’ decision to join the Los Angeles Lakers: “I had hoped he would stay in Cleveland,” Barkley said. “To me, the move to L.A. is purely a business decision. His career’s going downhill, now he wants to be a Hollywood mogul. He then drives past the beach every day instead of having to go through the snow… but the Lakers are not even remotely a top team. “Best case scenario, you’re 5th or 6th in the West.”
Barkley also did not like the remaining offseason of the Lakers, who after James signed Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson and JaVale McGee, among others: “This is an impossible scenario for Luke[Walton]. He’s got LeBron doing everything his way, some kids probably adoring him. And some older players who need attention. I don’t think Lance and Rondo will sit quietly on the bench as the ninth or tenth man. They want touches.”
This could also have a negative effect on the young players: “I don’t like what the Lakers are doing. It won’t help her young core. They have some good young players and should try to promote Lonzo[Ball], Brandon[Ingram] and[Kyle] Kuzma. “I don’t think all these sideshows provide a good environment for them.”
Barkley sees the trade from Kawhi Leonard to Toronto much more positively, for all sides: It was a win-win,” said Barkley, who also spoke of Jakob Pöltl as one of the “most underestimated players of the NBA”. The Austrian joined the San Antonio Spurs together with DeMar DeRozan and a first-round pick for Leonard and Danny Green.
Barkley now anticipates opportunities for the Raptors with Leonard: “I hope they will be better and that Leonard will stay in Toronto,” Barkley explained. “But I’m also prejudiced. This is probably my favorite city in the world. Hopefully he gets along well with[Raptors President] Masai Ujiri. You’re gonna have a really good team.”
With Leonard in top form, Toronto could also become dangerous for the Boston Celtics, which are currently regarded as the favorite in the East, says Barkley: “Everyone is prepared to give the Celtics the Eastern Conference. You should slow down a bit. It won’t be easy for her and Brad Stevens. “If people think Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward are coming back and leaving Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to them, people are crazy.”
Last but not least, Barkley also had something to say about the reigning final MVP Kevin Durant, who recently not only fought with Twitter users but also called C.J. McCollum a “snake” because he had called his move to the Golden State Warriors in 2016 “soft”.
“Durant’s actually just a really nice guy trying to be a bad boy,” Barkley said. “You shouldn’t do that, it doesn’t work. He spends all his time showing people how bad and tough he is. He worries so much about what people think. Durant is a great player and great boy. I also criticized him at the time because he went to Golden State, but he doesn’t have to answer to every person who has something to say about it.”