In a new interview, NBA analyst Charles Barkley offered a brutal assessment of the struggling Los Angeles Lakers.
Barkley spoke exclusively to Maxim.com and explained why the Lakers currently look nothing like the championship contenders they appeared to be when the season started
“OLD. SLOW. BRICKS. FENSE, as in no ‘D,’” Barkley said of the Lakers. “And ‘ENCH’ as in no bench.”
The Lakers have dropped four of their last five games and currently have a 22-23 record for the 2021-22 season.
When guard Russell Westbrook was traded to the Lakers during the offseason, the team was considered to be in a strong position to battle for the NBA title.
Yet, instead of thriving, the Lakers have had issues with trying to merge Westbrook’s all-around contributions on the court.
Another key reason why the Lakers have struggled is because of an injury to Anthony Davis. The veteran has missed 18 games thus far this season, removing a huge chunk of the team’s offense in the process.
In addition, LeBron James has sat out 12 contests because of his own ailments, while the lack of depth on the team has also been a concern.
The fact that Barkley offered such a biting statement on the current state of the Lakers doesn’t come as much of a surprise. The Hall of Famer’s reputation for sparing no one in his criticism has made him one of the most quotable figures on the NBA and other issues.
The road gets no easier for the Lakers as they get set to start a six-game road swing through the Eastern Conference. The first of those matchups comes on Friday night against the Orlando Magic.
