Charles Barkley says the Los Angeles Lakers are currently transitioning between superstars.
Talking to Yahoo Sports, the Hall of Famer said that the Lakers will be building around Luka Doncic instead of the 40-year-old James.
“Well, he’s on the downside of his career,” Barkley said to Yahoo Sports about James. “It’s Luka’s team going forward.”
That’s before even getting into the topic of whether James will play. The four-time MVP and 21-time All-Star has been rumored to be mulling retirement.
Barkley noted that the Lakers may have a positive outlook, but have a ton of competition in the west from the likes of the Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets and the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
Barkley says the Boston Celtics’ chief rival is set for a "seamless transition" as they choose a different start to build around.
The Lakers had clearly been James’ team, especially during the 2020 championship run in the bubble. But after the shocking trade that swapped Anthony Davis for Doncic, it appears that Doncic will be the focal point.
Barkley says the Lakers are in a good position for such a handoff. James may be the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, but he’s also a versatile player who can play multiple roles, including support for Doncic.
“It’s easy for LeBron because LeBron can play without the ball,” Barkley said to Yahoo Sports. “When you’re a great player and they bring other great players, you have to learn to play without the ball. Luka has a big advantage because Luka has to play with the ball. LeBron is such a great player. He can play without the ball.”
James’ status for the 2025-26 season remains uncertain, even after opting into his player option with the Lakers this next season. Will he play? Will he stay in LA? James isn’t tipping his hand.
When asked for comment recently by ESPN, James said, “I ain’t got nothing to talk about.”
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