Amid rumors that the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns are poised to make coaching changes in the offseason, Charles Barkley sent a candid message to the NBA media Wednesday night.
Barkley said on TNT after the series of playoff games that Darvin Ham and Frank Vogel did not deserve to be fired by their respective teams. He said it was not their fault that the team played poorly, but rather placed the blame on the players and the executives who put the team together.
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Charles Barkley before the game between the New Orleans Pelicans and Los Angeles Lakers as part of the NBA in-season tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on December 7, 2023. (Mike Kirschbaum/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Basketball Hall of Famer told the NBA media to start telling the truth.
“As part of our job, we watch every game, we watch every talk show. All these people on TV want to be liked by the players, so they He’s a coward,” Barclay said. “The truth is, they don’t want to do their jobs.
“And I just want to say this about coaching: People who think the Lakers are bad because of Darvin Ham or the Suns are bad because of Frank Vogel, what are you talking about? You never know. Frank Vogel.” Dervin Ham is a hell of a coach trying to start his career.
Suns owner Matt Ishbia says the franchise is doing “great” and expects starting pitching to stay the same.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach Dervin Ham reacts during the first round of their playoff series against the Nuggets on Monday, April 22, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
“But to all you punks, morons and jackasses on other networks who want to be in the media and want to be liked by all the players, do your job. The Lakers suck, and the Suns don’t like the players. It sucks. It has nothing to do with the coach.”
It’s unclear whether the Lakers and Suns will make any coaching moves after disappointing seasons.
Rumors regarding LeBron James’ future are mixed in Los Angeles. Multiple reports suggested he would head to free agency in the offseason, but he insisted in a social media post.
The Athletic reported that Hamm could be fired “possibly by the end of this week.”
Suns head coach Frank Vogel praises his players during their first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
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The Suns mortgaged their future to build a big three of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal. However, they fell far short of expectations. Vogel is also said to be on the chopping block.
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