Charles Barkley Blasts LeBron James’ ‘Stacking’ Strategy as NBA Career Nears Its End
Charles Barkley takes aim at LeBron James for joining a fourth NBA team filled with top stars as the legend enters the final chapter of his career.
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Charles Barkley and LeBron James (Image: Imagn and X)
Charles Barkley has renewed his criticism of LeBron James’ approach to building championship teams after the four-time NBA champion joined the Philadelphia 76ers for the 2026-27 season.
James announced on Friday that he would leave the Los Angeles Lakers and sign a two-year, $8 million contract with Philadelphia. The move will take James into his 24th NBA season and give him another opportunity to pursue a fifth championship.
Speaking on The Stephen A. Smith Show after James announced his decision, Barkley pointed to what he considers a long-standing criticism of the NBA star’s career.
The number one knock on LeBron for older guys like myself has always been, ‘Yo, man, you’re always stacking your team. He stacked in Miami. He stacked in Cleveland. He stacked in LA. Now he’s stacking it in Philly. So that to me, I’m going to still have the same criticism I’ve always had.
Charles Barkley said via The Stephen A. Smith Show
James joins a Philadelphia roster featuring Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown. He spent the previous eight seasons with the Lakers, where he won the 2020 NBA championship. The move to Philadelphia marks the fourth team of his NBA career.
Barkley did leave open the possibility of changing his view of James. He said that if James wins back-to-back championships with the 76ers before retiring at age 44 or 45, he would consider James the greatest player he has ever seen.
James enters his latest NBA chapter with four championships already on his resume. His move to Philadelphia gives him another chance to compete for a fifth NBA title alongside one of the league’s established contenders.
Shaquille O’Neal rejects the idea of LeBron James ‘chasing’ his fifth NBA title
Shaquille O’Neal, meanwhile, has defended LeBron James’ decision to continue moving between teams in pursuit of another NBA championship.
During an appearance on Extra, O’Neal dismissed the criticism that James is simply ring chasing as he enters the final stage of his career.
A lot of these haters call it ring-chasing. But yeah, you’re supposed to be chasing rings, because if you chase rings and you accomplish getting rings, that’s what we call greatness. Those who haven’t achieved greatness call it ring-chasing because they haven’t achieved greatness.
Shaquille O’Neal said via Extra
O’Neal also has personal experience with joining James late in his own career. The Hall of Famer joined the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2009-10 season when James was 25. O’Neal averaged 12.0 points and 6.7 rebounds in 53 games that season, while James won his second consecutive MVP award.
Cleveland ultimately lost to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals. James will now begin his 24th NBA season with Philadelphia as he continues his pursuit of a fifth championship.
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