Charles Barkley isn’t one to hold back his opinions, no matter how unpopular they might be or how much rage they might incite. This has always been Barkley’s MO, going back to his playing days. So it should be no surprise that, when asked about the Los Angeles Lakers, Barkley had some choice words about LA’s storied franchise.
Charles Barkley: "The #Lakers are the fourth-best team in California. They lucky the Sparks ain't playing, they'd be the fifth." #TNTNBA
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) October 26, 2015
While this seems like a hot take at first glance, Barkley’s assessment isn’t that far off. Obviously, this year should be better for the Lakers (not by much, but at least better than last year), but the only evidence we have to go on is their production from last season. When we evaluate from that data, yes, the Lakers were worse than the Golden State Warriors, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Sacramento Kings.
As far as the Sparks are concerned, Los Angeles’ WNBA team had a winning percentage of 41.2, miles better than the Lakers’ 25.6. Obviously, it’s not quite fair to compare the two, given that the Lakers played 82 games to the Sparks’ 34, but we have to work with what we’re given. This is bound to make some Lakers fans upset or even more dismissive of Barkley than they already are. Nevertheless, as harsh of a truth as it may be, it’s a truth all the same.
