Charles Barkley: Lakers Not a Playoff Team

Charles Barkley remains unconvinced that the Lakers have turned the corner.

Sir Charles said “hello no!” when asked if the Purple and Gold will qualify for the postseason next year.

Are the Lakers a playoff team?

 

Barkley: “No. Hell no!”

 

Not even with Lonzo?

 

Barkley: “No!”

Neverthless, fans in Los Angeles are pumped for the dawn of the Lonzo Ball era.

Per the LA Times:

He is 51 years old, a Chino Hills resident and went to every single one of Lonzo Ball’s high school games. He didn’t want to miss the start of Ball’s NBA career. He’s also been a Lakers fan since the days when Magic Johnson was playing instead of constructing the Lakers’ roster as their president of basketball operations.

 

“Very excited,” [Mark] Appelbaum said when asked how he felt when his favorite team drafted Ball, who is also from Chino Hills. “LaVar said it was gonna happen. I was hoping.”

 

“There’s definitely tons of excitement and renewed energy around this year’s draft, around Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka and the leadership and the vision they’ve cast with the basketball team,” said Joey Buss, Lakers co-owner, alternate governor and vice president of research and development. “I think that positive momentum is carrying over into summer league and that’ll carry over into preseason, training camp and the start of the regular season later this fall.”