Like much of the NBA world, Charles Barkley was shocked by the Celtics trading Jaylen Brown to the 76ers for Paul George and four draft picks last week.
The NBA legend and “Inside the NBA” analyst made an appearance on “Unfiltered with Ricky Bo and Bill Colarulo” this week and shared his first reaction to the blockbuster trade.
“I was like, ‘This can’t be a true story.’ There’s so much fake stuff on the internet now, I’m like, ‘Nah, they didn’t trade him to the Sixers,’” Barkley said. “Number one, you’re like ‘Wow.’ Secondly, you’re like, ‘Well, what’d they give up?’ They gave up Paul George and some draft picks. I says, ‘Man, the Sixers just got away with murder, man.’”
Barkley continued: “[The 76ers] were dead in the water, to be honest with you. Because Paul’s contract and Joel’s inability to stay healthy, they were going to be out the running for the next three or four or five years. And now, all of a sudden, they’re a legit contender.”
With Brown in the mix, Philadelphia has a strong core for the future, with budding stars Tyrese Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe alongside one of the best centers in the league, when healthy, in Joel Embiid.
“I mean, [Brown] and Maxey and Edgecombe and whatever they get out of Joel, they’re going to be a really good team. [Nick] Nurse is a hell of a coach, and Jaylen’s a hell of a player,” Barkley noted.
“The Sixers just became a contender in the East. You go from being irrelevant to being a serious contender in the Eastern Conference for the next three years. It’s pretty good for Philadelphia right now,” Barkley said.
Last season, the Sixers finished seventh in the East with a record of 45-37. They were swept by the eventual champion Knicks in the conference semifinals.
