The current Western Conference landscape is one of the toughest modern-day fans have seen over the past few years, with multiple teams having championship-worthy rosters. Amid that intense battle, the Los Angeles Lakers have quietly emerged as one of the hottest teams over the past couple of weeks, winning six games in a row and nine of their last ten.
Yet despite that stellar run, Charles Barkley continues to insist on how the Purple and Gold aren't championship-ready. That rigid stance prompted Stephen A. Smith to call him out, urging the Hall of Famer to give the Purple and Gold their due credit.
Over the past few years, the Lakers have repeatedly scapegoated figures like Russell Westbrook , Frank Vogel and Darvin Ham for their failed campaigns. This recurrent tendency has rubbed Barkley the wrong way, and he has developed a consistent critical perspective toward the franchise. As a result, no matter how many stars the team possesses on its roster now, Barkley refuses to join their hype train.
That sentiment was apparent when the Lakers faced the Denver Nuggets recently, where Sir Charles evidently showed his desire to see the Purple and Gold squad struggle, arguing that a win for them would only fuel media narratives about their dominance - something that he does not want to see.
"My worst nightmare is the Lakers winning tonight, and I have to listen to all the crap on Monday on all the talk shows about how the Lakers are contenders. Please, please don't let them win," Sir Charles said. "I'm going to be nail-biting all night tonight. They're going to be talking about it all day Monday. Thank God I'll be in Dayton."
In response, Stephen A. offered a strong counterargument, emphasizing the Lakers' recent improvements on both ends of the floor. He highlighted their enhanced defensive intensity as well as their efficiency from beyond the arc.
Additionally, Smith referenced the improved individual performances from Luka Doncic , who is averaging over 36.6 points over the past five games and how well LeBron James is playing a second role, the clutch gene of Austin Reaves , to indicate a true Lakers' surge, reinforcing that the team is trending positively. Put simply, SAS argued that such performances warrant recognition and that the Lakers should be viewed as a legitimate contender.
" Charles needs to calm down. Stop whining," Stephen A. said. "You got a good job, you're looking good, you're feeling good, you're getting ready to do the NCAA Tournament, you're getting paid lovely, you're chilling in Atlanta, and now you're going to Dayton. Just relax, calm the brakes. A top-three seed in a conference is a contender. You know this."
At this point, it feels like Barkley doesn't want to see the Lakers succeed, given how evidently he criticizes them. But as Stephen A. pointed out, it's getting harder to ignore how well the Lakers are playing right now, and it remains to be seen if "Chuckster" finally acknowledges that.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Mar 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
