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STATELINE, NEVADA – JULY 11: Charles Barkley stands in the second tee box during the first round of the American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course on July 11, 2025 in Stateline, Nevada. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers clearly do not have a fan in Charles Barkley.
As the month of February closed out, Barkley addressed the state of the Lakers from his vision. It’s safe to say he’s not convinced about their status of contenders in the NBA—or even the Western Conference.
“I’ve been saying it for months. The Lakers, they’re just not a good team,” Barkley said with certainty.
The NBA legend went beyond the typical criticism for the team route. Barkley even threw a dig at ESPN and other networks and publications for feeling “obligated” to talk about the Lakers no matter what.
“I just think it’s funny that the media turned on Luka [Doncic]. Everything’s Luka’s fault now. I find that hilarious,” Barkley added in his route.
The State Of The Los Angeles Lakers
GettyThe Los Angeles Lakers took care of business against the Golden State Warriors.
LA had a fitting win on Saturday, February 28, as they dominated a shorthanded Golden State Warriors team on the road.
Without Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler, the Warriors take a clear step back. A Lakers team with the healthy core group could take care of business with a 129-101 victory.
Luka Doncic led the charge with 26 points in 29 minutes. He was two assists shy of a double-double.
LeBron James checked in for 28 minutes to score 22 points on 7-13 shooting from the field. He also had nine assists and seven rebounds.
Austin Reaves knocked down 7-11 shots from the field to score 18 points. He a plus-22 on the floor for the night.
A win over the Warriors helped the Lakers advance to 35-24 on the year. They remain within the West’s playoff picture, taking up the sixth seed. LA holds a 1.5-game lead over the Phoenix Suns.
While avoiding the Play-In Tournament could be considered a successful run for the Lakers, as they would make the playoffs outright, Barkley seemingly can’t be convinced that the Lakers can change his mind during the final stretch of the 2025-2026 NBA season.
Charles Barkley HATES the Lakers:
“I get sick of people saying they’re contenders. The Lakers are NOT a good team. I guess we’re contractually obligated to talk about them every day on our network now”
“Y’all thought they were going to be good,” Barkley said while dealing with pushback from his co-hosts with “marquee franchise” arguments. “They’re going to be a marquee franchise for about another 20 games, and then the nightmare’s going to be over.”
Where The Lakers Stand In March
GettyLeBron James and Austin Reaves of the Los Angeles Lakers.
If the season ended on March 1, the Lakers would hit with a first-round matchup against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets. The Lakers and the Rockets met just once so far, playing a marquee matchup on Christmas Day.
The Lakers were dominated on the national stage, collecting a 119-96 loss. The trio of LeBron, Luka, and Reaves (14 minutes before injury) were on the floor for the night. Amen Thompson and Kevin Durant each contributed at least 25 points to the matchup for Houston’s side.
Los Angeles clearly won’t sway Barkley’s mind on where they’re at as contenders, but they surely still believe they’ll be able to reach a new level come playoff time.
The Lakers are back on the floor on Sunday night (March 1) for a matchup against the Sacramento Kings. The two teams will tip off at 9:30 PM ET.
Justin Grasso Justin Grasso is an NBA reporter, covering trending league news, transactions, injuries, and player developments. He is a credentialed journalist with nearly a decade of insider access. More about Justin Grasso
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