The trio of Luka Doncic, Klay Thompson, and Kyrie Irving will be a fan favorite this year. After losing out to the Celtics 1-4 in the finals last time, most of the hoopers world are excited for their progression this season. Well, except one person. NBA legend Charles Barkley seems to be uninterested in the Mavericks. He has even shot down their chances of a championship run, dismissing the Luka Doncic-led side as a ‘bottom seed.’
Recently, Barkley appeared in a candid discussion on Inside The NBA. Reflecting on the ongoing season, the 1-time NBA MVP opined that the Mavericks reached the finals last year due to sheer luck. Detailing his take on the matter, Barkley stated, “I think they’re a middle-of-the-road team in the Western Conference. I think they got lucky last year because of match-ups. Everything worked out perfectly… I think Dallas is a bottom of the West, six, seven, or eight seed. They’re going to be somewhere around there this year.”
The 61-year-old then proceeded to name some of the teams that he thought would be a top pick. As per the legend, the Suns, Grizzlies, Lakers, and Pelicans would reign supreme over the others. However, despite Chuck’s doubts, the Mavericks have started things on a bright note. Facing off against the Spurs in their season opener, the 2023-24 runners-up dominated and won 120-109.
Luka Doncic was yet again the star of the night, notching up 28 points, 1 steal, 8 assists, 10 rebounds and a block. Making his debut for the Mavericks, Klay Thompson did not disappoint either. Shrugging off a difficult preseason, Thompson chipped in with 22 points, 3 steals, 7 rebounds and an assist.
With his 6-off-10 shooting, Klay also broke the Mavericks records for scoring the maximum three-pointers on debut. Coming back to Charles Barkley, Chuck also has doubts regarding Klay Thompson’s switch from the Warriors.
Charles Barkley Skeptical About Klay Thompson
The change of colors for Klay Thompson was surely a huge deal in the NBA. However, with the Mavericks securing the services of the former Warriors, their squad looked as strong as ever. Unfortunately, Charles Barkley, once again, did not have many positives to take away from the move.
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Speaking about the trade on Inside The NBA, Chuck stated that Thompson was aging. In fact, having suffered two critical injuries with his ACL and his Achilles, Thompson was a shadow of his old self. Chuck further took on the $50 million deal, saying, “That’s the reason the Warriors wanted to move on. He’s not the same player… You factor in those two major injuries. They’re not, like, those are really bad injuries… The old Klay Thompson… I do not.”
Thus, with the opening game painting a contrasting picture, it remains to be seen whether Barkley’s words come true in the long run.
