Barkley's bold Lakers forecast.
Charles Barkley Sends Message After Lakers' LeBron James, Luka Doncic Update originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
On Friday, July 11, at the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe, NBA legend Charles Barkley sat down with Yahoo Sports’ Jason Fitz to discuss the future of the Los Angeles Lakers.
When Fitz asked how much LeBron James should factor into L.A.’s long‑term plans, Barkley offered an honest take: "He’s on the downside of his career. It’s Luka’s team going forward."
"But, hey, they’ve got bigger problems than those guys," Barkley continued. "They’ve got to worry about the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Houston Rockets, and the Denver Nuggets. The Lakers are going to have a good team. But everything in the West starts with OKC, the Houston Rockets, and the Denver Nuggets."
The Lakers are now ‘Luka’s team moving forward’ 👀@jasonfitz and Charles Barkley discuss how L.A. should handle the transition of one generational superstar to another. pic.twitter.com/IW3rqmnD1m
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) July 12, 2025
James, now 40 years old, closed out the 2024‑25 season averaging 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds over 70 games, while shooting 51.3% from the field.
He became the first player in NBA history to score 40+ points in a game as a 40-year-old and a 19-year-old old and he earned his 21st All‑Star selection.
Despite those milestones, James’s playoff run was cut short by a first‑round series playoff loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Nevertheless, by exercising his $52.6 million player option this past June, James signaled his intention to return for a 23rd NBA season (league record), aiming to chase another title even as he transitions into more of a mentorship role.
While James remains one of the game’s most decorated figures, tallying four NBA championships, four MVP awards, and the NBA’s all‑time scoring record (42,184 points), Barkley’s comments underscore that the Lakers’ future hinges on their younger star, Luka Doncic.
Barkley’s assertion that the Thunder, Rockets, and Nuggets are the West’s true juggernauts rings especially true.
Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander and the Thunder feature one of the league’s most dynamic young cores and are coming off an NBA championship win.
The Rockets, fueled by the recent trade for Kevin Durant and a deep supporting cast that includes Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Fred VanVleet, have already emerged as title favorites.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets continue to build a competitive core around stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, recently trading for Cam Johnson and adding depth in Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jonas Valanciunas.
Related: Rockets Release NBA Veteran Days After Kevin Durant Trade
Related: Damian Lillard Receives Message From Bucks After Unexpected Release
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
