Charles Barkley Throws Major Shade at the Brooklyn Nets

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Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and James Harden at Barclays Center.

It’s no secret that the Brooklyn Nets are considered the bad boys of the NBA.

With Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the team was already considered a potential threat to the championship, but when they made a blockbuster trade to add James Harden, they became one of the most talented teams in NBA history.

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Charles Barkley retired from the Brooklyn Nets

While the Nets’ three-headed monster is a sight to behold for some, many are disgusted with the way Brooklyn’s team is put together. One of them, Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, spoke out after Thursday’s Celtics-Lakers game and made his opinion known.

I will always fight Brooklyn, Barkley said via Brandon Scoop B Robinson.

I don’t like the way they put the team together. You know I never like working with guys. It never will be. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that someone beats Brooklyn.

Charles Barkley on the Nets: You know I would never advocate a men’s club. It never will be. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that someone beats Brooklyn. https://t.co/l9JLCStMmV

– Brandon Scoop B Robinson (@ScoopB) April 16, 2021

Barkley criticizes KD for transferring to Golden State

Barkley was also very complimentary of KD’s time in Golden State in 2017, so we can expect this kind of reaction from the roundhouse rebounder.

I was disappointed. I was just as disappointed as when LeBron went to Miami, Barkley said of KD’s decision, via Bleacher Report.

Kevin is a great player, he’s a good guy. But I’m just disappointed that he weakened the other team, and tipped the scales, so to speak, for a great Warriors team.

Long way to the top for Brooklyn

The Nets have come a long way since moving from New Jersey to Brooklyn.

In 2014, Brooklyn made a hard-fought trade with the Boston Celtics to get Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. In return, they gave up a lot of draft picks, which eventually gave the Celtics Jason Tatum and 2021 All-Star Jaylen Brown.

When Pierce and KG left in 2014 and 2015, respectively, the organization struggled in the rebuilding process for three years and never managed to get even 30 wins, let alone make the playoffs.

Just when everything seemed hopeless for the franchise, they decided to go in a different direction in 2016 by hiring Kenny Atkinson as head coach and Sean Marks as GM. Marx made it clear from the beginning that his strategy of reversal would take time, but in retrospect it may have been worth it.

Through trades and new recruits, Marks has allowed a team that hadn’t won 30 times in the previous three seasons to win 42 times in 2019, good for seventh in the Eastern Conference and a playoff spot.

Although the campaign failed in the first round, it set a tone strong enough to attract talented stars. Finally, the biggest free agent of the summer, two-time NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant, decided to sign with Brooklyn and bring in Kyrie Irving.

With all this confusion, it seems ethical to honor Marks and Brooklyn. With 10-20 wins per season, two NBA champions, three top scorers and five All-Stars, you’d think people would be eager to see how this Nets team plays.

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