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Charles Barkley said he wanted LeBron James to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers rather than sign with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Barkley made the comments Friday on ESPN Cleveland.
"I'm disappointed. I wanted him to go to Cleveland. Because he has no natural affiliation with Philly. I'm surprised. He had no affiliation with the Warriors, either. If he went to the Heat that would have been a little bit different. But I thought it would be a great way to end his story to finish up in Cleveland. So I'm a little disappointed, but hey, it's his decision. But I am, I'm just a little disappointed, plain and simple," Barkley said.
James agreed to a two-year contract worth $8 million with Philadelphia, and the deal carries a player option. Writing on his own social media accounts, he said the chance to win a fifth championship was the only reason he took a team-friendly figure.
Earlier in July, the 76ers traded for Jaylen Brown. Their roster also includes Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe.
Cleveland drafted James with the first overall pick in 2003. He spent seven seasons there before leaving for the Miami Heat in 2010, then came back in 2014 and stayed another four years. Over those 11 seasons with the Cavaliers, James put up averages of 27.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 7.3 assists. He won two of his four MVP awards in Cleveland and was selected to 10 All-Star teams while playing there.
The 2016 title is the only championship in franchise history. That June, the Cavaliers came back from a 3-1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors. No team had done that in a Finals before.
During the 2025-26 season, James played 60 games with the Los Angeles Lakers and averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds, with a 51.5% shooting percentage. He is entering his 24th season and turns 42 in December.
The Cavaliers went 52-30 last season and finished fourth in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland beat the Toronto Raptors in seven games and the Detroit Pistons in seven games. The New York Knicks then swept them in the conference finals, taking the last game 130-93. Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points that night.
According to Fred Katz of The Athletic, the Cavaliers would have needed to trade either Max Strus at $16.7 million or Dennis Schroder at $14.6 million in order to offer James the mid-level exception of $15 million. Without a trade, the most Cleveland could put on the table was the veteran minimum of $3.9 million.
James Harden declined a $42.3 million player option for 2026-27. Earlier this month, Harden said publicly that he wanted James in Cleveland and called it a storybook finish.
Since the signing, the Cavaliers have been linked to free agents Jonathan Kuminga and Mario Hezonja.
Barkley played 16 seasons for Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Houston. He was named MVP in 1993.
Continue reading...
Barkley made the comments Friday on ESPN Cleveland.
"I'm disappointed. I wanted him to go to Cleveland. Because he has no natural affiliation with Philly. I'm surprised. He had no affiliation with the Warriors, either. If he went to the Heat that would have been a little bit different. But I thought it would be a great way to end his story to finish up in Cleveland. So I'm a little disappointed, but hey, it's his decision. But I am, I'm just a little disappointed, plain and simple," Barkley said.
James agreed to a two-year contract worth $8 million with Philadelphia, and the deal carries a player option. Writing on his own social media accounts, he said the chance to win a fifth championship was the only reason he took a team-friendly figure.
Earlier in July, the 76ers traded for Jaylen Brown. Their roster also includes Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe.
Cleveland drafted James with the first overall pick in 2003. He spent seven seasons there before leaving for the Miami Heat in 2010, then came back in 2014 and stayed another four years. Over those 11 seasons with the Cavaliers, James put up averages of 27.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 7.3 assists. He won two of his four MVP awards in Cleveland and was selected to 10 All-Star teams while playing there.
The 2016 title is the only championship in franchise history. That June, the Cavaliers came back from a 3-1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors. No team had done that in a Finals before.
During the 2025-26 season, James played 60 games with the Los Angeles Lakers and averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds, with a 51.5% shooting percentage. He is entering his 24th season and turns 42 in December.
The Cavaliers went 52-30 last season and finished fourth in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland beat the Toronto Raptors in seven games and the Detroit Pistons in seven games. The New York Knicks then swept them in the conference finals, taking the last game 130-93. Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points that night.
According to Fred Katz of The Athletic, the Cavaliers would have needed to trade either Max Strus at $16.7 million or Dennis Schroder at $14.6 million in order to offer James the mid-level exception of $15 million. Without a trade, the most Cleveland could put on the table was the veteran minimum of $3.9 million.
James Harden declined a $42.3 million player option for 2026-27. Earlier this month, Harden said publicly that he wanted James in Cleveland and called it a storybook finish.
Since the signing, the Cavaliers have been linked to free agents Jonathan Kuminga and Mario Hezonja.
Barkley played 16 seasons for Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Houston. He was named MVP in 1993.
Continue reading...
