Charles Barkley Believes Luka Doncic’s Mavs 2024 Finals Team & Current Lakers Are Similar

The Los Angeles Lakers have entered the post-LeBron James era with Luka Doncic at the helm. After spending eight years with the Lakers, James decided not to sign a new contract and joined the Philadelphia 76ers in the summer.

Doncic is in the prime of his career. He had one of his best individual seasons last campaign as he led the Lakers to a fourth-place finish in a stacked Western Conference standings with a 53-29 record. He came fourth in the MVP race and won the scoring title.

The Lakers remain one of the NBA’s top stories after the summer they just had. While they did lose James, they made a number of new additions to their roster in the offseason.

Former league MVP Charles Barkley believes the Lakers may be as good as Doncic’s 2024 Dallas Mavericks.

I really want to see the Lakers do well. 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.

Charles Barkley on Bill Simmons Podcast

Charles Barkley says this year’s Lakers team is ‘probably’ better than the 2024 Mavericks:

“I really want to see the Lakers do well. 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… pic.twitter.com/AOTkL7GkAe

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) September 9, 2026

Charles Barkley is well known for his hot and bold takes. Over the past two seasons, Barkley has often taken shots and trolled the Lakers for their performances. But it looks like he is optimistic about the team next season after the changes they have made.

The Lakers front office has revamped their roster and has built it around their star guard. According to Barkley, the current Lakers team is very similar to the Mavs team in 2024. Luka Doncic led that team to the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Boston Celtics in five games. However, Barkley believes that this Lakers team may be even better than that Mavs squad.

Charles Barkley does not think the Lakers will win the championship next year

Luka Doncic’s blockbuster trade to the Lakers at the trade deadline last year will forever go down as one of the most shocking trades in NBA history. He did take some time to get to terms with the trade, but he has quickly established himself as the centerpiece of the organization.

While Barkley praised their roster, he doesn’t think they are good enough to lift the championship next season.

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 Boston Celtics, the Lakers, and the Knicks are good teams.

Charles Barkley on Bill Simmons Podcast

The Lakers have made a number of changes to their team in the summer. While they did lose James, Marcus Smart, Deandre Ayton, Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard and Jaxson Hayes in free agency, they made a number of additions like Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Kevon Looney and more.

The Lakers have given Doncic the team he wanted. Now it is up to him to deliver the goods next season.

NBA executives are not as high on the Lakers and Luka Doncic as Charles Barkley is

Barkley’s comparisons between this Lakers team and the 2024 Mavs team are an interesting one, but it is still very much debatable. Doncic had Kyrie Irving by his side in Dallas. While Austin Reaves is coming off a breakout season, he does not bring the same level of talent and skill as Irving.

But Barkley may be right about the NBA world sleeping on the Lakers. ESPN insider Brian Windhorst recently said that NBA executives have little hope the Lakers will have meaningful success next season.

We asked which team would be the most disappointing team. The Lakers finished at the top of that. I guess it all depends because if their over-under was 45, the standard is more reasonable. If the standard is low 50s like they did last two years… the over-under implies that they will take a step back.

Brian Windhorst on The Hoop Collective

It looks like even the NBA executives are not very optimistic about the Lakers heading into the 2026-27 campaign. However, with Luka Doncic leading them, he and his new team might surprise a lot of fans this year.

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