The NBA world was left stunned after the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks executed a blockbuster trade, swapping Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. While many believe the Lakers came out ahead in the deal, former Phoenix Suns great Charles Barkley isn’t sold on the move. Instead, he offered a strong take on JJ Redick’s Lakers during his appearance on “Inside the NBA.”
Along with adding Doncic to the roster, the Lakers addressed their need at the center position by acquiring Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets, filling the void left by Davis. Armed with a complete roster, the Lakers are seen as legitimate title contenders by many. However, Barkley disagrees, boldly claiming the Mavericks are better positioned to compete for a championship than the Lakers.
“The Mavericks are going to have a chance to win a championship this year. The Lakers don’t have a chance to win the championship this year, the Mavs do,” Barkley declared on TNT. “OKC is the team to beat. I don’t think the Lakers are better than the Mavs. I’m not sure they’re better than Memphis. I’m not sure they’re better than the Rockets”.
Barkley also questioned the Lakers’ defensive capabilities and the chemistry between LeBron James and Doncic. “In my opinion, they’re going to stay at five. They’re not going to be good defensively. It’s gonna be a really hard adjustment for Luka Doncic,” Barkley added. “I think they’re going to have a hard time playing because they’re both ball-dominant. LeBron can get away with that. Luka has never played without the ball”.
LeBron James and Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers during their game against the Los Angeles Clippers. (Javier Cardona – IMAGO)
Barkley predicts struggles for Doncic with Lakers
For Barkley, the biggest challenge for the Lakers will be how Doncic adapts to his new role. The Hall of Famer noted that the Slovenian star will need to adjust to having less control of the ball than he did in Dallas.
see also
NBA News: Lakers star LeBron James shares his thoughts on playing alongside Luka Doncic
“He’s going to have the ball probably less than he’s ever had it in his life. LeBron is so great, he can make the adjustment,” he explained. “But Luka is going to have to learn to play faster because they’re not going to… do things like he did with the Mavericks. You just can’t put great players together and think it’s going to work”.
Barkley addresses criticism of Doncic’s conditioning
During an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, Barkley also touched on the ongoing criticism surrounding Doncic’s conditioning. While such concerns have been a topic of discussion for years, the trade has amplified the scrutiny.
“I find it fascinating that all of us have been talking about Luka Doncic’s conditioning for three years. Now, all of a sudden, it’s an insult,” Barkley said. “I don’t think people were hiding it; I think everybody has heard the same criticism for three years“.
Despite Barkley’s skepticism, the Lakers remain confident that pairing LeBron James and Luka Doncic will solidify their status as title contenders. Only time will tell if this blockbuster move delivers the results Los Angeles is hoping for.
