Charles Barkley Says Lakers Are Underestimated But Pours Cold Water On 2027 Championship Hopes
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NBA legend Charles Barkley recently appeared on the Bill Simmons podcast and discussed the new-look Lakers ahead of the 2026-27 season, among other topics.
He believes that the current Lakers are already better than the roster that Luka Doncic took to the 2024 NBA Finals with the Mavericks.
“I really want to see the Lakers do well,” said Barkley. “First of all, I’m a big Luka fan, a big Austin Reaves fan. I think they’re gonna be better than people realize. Luka and Kyrie took the Mavs to the Finals, come on, man. This team is probably better; this team is probably just as good as that team.”
“They’re going to be fine, I think. Are they gonna win the championship? I don’t think they’re going to win the championship. But the league is better when the Celtics, the Lakers, and the Knicks are good teams,” Barkley added.
It is a bit off-putting to hear Barkley say good things about the Lakers. Still, his usual frustrations with the franchise have been about the national TV importance they get even when they are relatively irrelevant. He doesn’t seem to have an issue with the franchise itself.
But it’s worth noting that he says this roster is potentially better than one that went to the NBA Finals, but Barkley probably means that even if they make it to the NBA Finals again, they would likely lose to a team like the Knicks, the 76ers, or the Cavaliers.
Previously, Barkley has repeatedly favored other Western Conference teams like the Thunder and the Spurs to beat the Lakers. Those two teams are also much better now than they were in 2024. So being as good as they were in 2024 might not even be enough to represent the West in the NBA Finals, let alone win it all.
The biggest hole keeping any NBA veteran from calling the Lakers championship contenders is their lack of defense. Trevor Ariza, Derek Fisher, and Byron Scott are among the several former players who similarly don’t think they are championship contenders with their current roster.
Even though they got rid of a major defensive vulnerability (LeBron James) this summer, the addition of a promising rim protector in Walker Kessler and perimeter defenders like Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams does not seem to impress these veterans enough.
Therefore, Barkley’s optimism highlights the Lakers’ potential, but their championship ceiling remains uncertain. Matching the 2024 Mavericks may not be enough in a stronger Western Conference, especially without an established defensive identity.
Until they prove they can defend at a high level consistently, skepticism about their title chances will remain justified. Do you think the new-look Lakers are championship contenders? Let us know what you think in the comments section.