Barkley says Warriors will be ‘mediocre’ in 2024-25 season originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
Charles Barkley never misses an opportunity to give the Warriors a chance.
The Hall of Fame and current TNT analyst provided a sobering assessment of Golden State while speaking with NBC Sports Bay Area on Thursday at the American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Resort.
“They have a mediocre team,” Barkley said. “They were mediocre last year. They’ll be even more mediocre next year.”
“They were mediocre last year, they’ll be even more mediocre next year… that run is over.”
Charles Barkley on the current state of the Warriors pic.twitter.com/qLhQMPUlSr
– Warriors at NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) July 11, 2024
Warriors are Coming off a 46-36 2023-24 NBA season, good for 10th place in loaded Western Conference. They qualified for the NBA play-in tournament, but lost to the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center in game #9 vs. #10.
The lineup Golden State fields when the 2024-25 NBA season begins will be dramatically different from last year’s lineup.
Franchise icon Klay Thompson is gonehaving left for the Dallas Mavericks after bitter contract negotiations with the Warriors.
Veteran Dario Šarić also moved on, signing with the Denver Nuggets.
In its place, the Warriors added Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson and De’Anthony Melton through sign-and-trade agreements or free agent acquisitions.
Golden State’s front office is still eyeing a big move, with reports of interest in Utah Jazz All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen.
But Barkley doesn’t see any movement that will help the Warriors shake off the “mediocre” label.
They’re all past their prime,” Barkley said. “So this race is over.”
Barkley has been a vocal critic of the Warriors over the past 10 years, and it hasn’t stopped on the shores of Lake Tahoe.