Charles Barkley criticizes NBA Cup prize money as Knicks and Spurs face off for the championship

Knicks Compete in NBA Cup Amid Controversy

The New York Knicks haven’t claimed an NBA championship since the early 1970s. It’s been over 25 years since they last won the Eastern Conference and made it to the NBA Finals.

On Tuesday evening, the Knicks faced off against the San Antonio Spurs in Las Vegas, participating in the latest iteration of the NBA Cup, which is essentially an in-season tournament introduced by the league.

While many players and coaches have expressed support for this new format, Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley isn’t fully on board. He referred to the situation as a bit embarrassing during a recent appearance on a show where he discussed the tournament.

Barkley had some strong words, stating, “I think the cup thing is a little embarrassing.” He also raised concerns about the reliance on prize money to encourage players to take regular-season games more seriously.

“It’s unfortunate that we have to have in-season tournaments to get them more money so they don’t do load management,” Barkley said. The NBA has introduced regulations aimed at preventing healthy players from sitting out games for rest.

To be eligible for prestigious awards like the NBA MVP, players are required to compete in at least 65 games.

Barkley continued, saying, “If we have to pay them extra money to play other games, they should play basketball, because they’re getting paid well to play basketball.” His frustration with the need for tournaments to incentivize playing more games was evident.

The NBA’s intention behind the tournament was to inject some excitement into the regular 82-game season. Commissioner Adam Silver looked to similar in-season tournaments in Europe for inspiration.

Despite some criticisms—including declining TV ratings, reduced ticket demand, and pushback from commentators like Barkley—the league seems committed to the NBA Cup.