Charles Barkley hits LeBron James with harsher statement after Sixers move

LeBron James move to the Philadelphia 76ers remains a divisive topic in NBA circles. Some praised the superstar forward for his decision, while others, including Charles Barkley, criticized him for joining another stacked team. The Hall of Famer fired another shot at James on Tuesday, following up on his previous comments four days earlier.

Appearing on the “Dan Patrick Show,” Barkley scrutinized him for manufacturing his teams. He also mentioned his representation moving Anthony Davis to the Lakers in 2019.

“He always stacks his teams, he didn’t build a team, he manufactured it,” Barkley said. “His agents forced them to trade for Anthony Davis who was ran by his group, Klutch specifically said he had to go to the Lakers.

“Anthony Davis specifically said because of Klutch, ‘I will only go to the Lakers.’ So you think that’s naturally organic? No, that’s stacking your team.”

James started his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003 before moving to the Miami Heat in 2010. He joined forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in South Beach, winning two championships. The 22-time All-Star returned to his hometown team four year later, teaming up with Kyrie Irving and prime Kevin Love. He spent the last eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, playing alongside Davis, Luka Doncic and other stars.

May 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after a foul in game three of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Barkley shared his reaction after James announced that he is taking his talents to Philadelphia. The 63-year-old compared him to Michael Jordan, who didn’t switch teams to overcome the competition.

“Listen, LeBron’s great,” Barkley said. “But like I say, my criticism is, ‘Yo, man, he always makes sure he has the best players.’

“One of the reasons I always give Michael the advantage is Michael got his head beat in by the Pistons and the Celtics before he finally said, ‘No, I’m going to get bigger, stronger, faster.'”

James will share the court with Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey and the rest of the 76ers in 2026-27. Their formidable lineup is already being considered the frontrunners for next year’s championship.