Charles Barkley wasn’t exactly full of holiday cheer Thursday morning - unless you count his signature brand of playful jabs as festive spirit.
During ABC’s Christmas Day coverage ahead of the Knicks-Cavaliers matchup, Barkley welcomed Draymond Green to the broadcast with a classic Chuck zinger: “We’re going to have you back here once the playoffs start.”
Translation? Barkley doesn’t see the Warriors making it out of the play-in round - if they even get that far.
Now, if there’s one thing Draymond Green doesn’t do, it’s let a jab go unanswered. Without missing a beat, Green fired back: “Shaq, we’ll bring our rings and share them with Chuck.” A smooth counterpunch that had the whole panel laughing - and reminded everyone exactly how many rings Barkley has (hint: it’s still zero).
This back-and-forth is just the latest chapter in the ongoing, good-natured feud between Barkley and Green. Barkley has long been the Warriors’ most vocal critic, even as the franchise has racked up four championships in the last 11 years. And Green, never one to shy away from a little trash talk, has made Barkley a favorite target.
He and Shaquille O’Neal - Barkley’s co-host on Inside the NBA - have even turned their success into a running gag. Since Golden State’s 2022 title, the two have been doing a “Four Rings Handshake” on air, a not-so-subtle reminder of the hardware Barkley never got his hands on.
Green explained the origins of the bit back in May on The Draymond Green Show, telling former NBA guard Baron Davis: “It was always to pick on Charles … it’s so fun picking on Charles. And Chuck’s such a good sport about everything and funny as hell.”
But behind the laughs, there’s a real question hanging over this Warriors team: Can they make another deep postseason run?
Heading into their Christmas Day matchup with the Mavericks, Golden State sits in the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference. That means they’re currently on the edge - in the play-in mix, not quite locked into a traditional playoff berth.
It’s a familiar position. Just last season, they clawed their way out of the play-in tournament, stunned the No. 2-seeded Rockets in the first round, and then ran into a red-hot Minnesota Timberwolves squad in Round 2.
That series turned when Steph Curry went down with a hamstring injury in Game 1, and the Warriors never fully recovered.
So, while Barkley might be penciling Green into the studio lineup this spring, Draymond has other plans. If he has it his way, he won’t be joining Barkley on the broadcast desk until long after the postseason - preferably with another championship parade in the rearview.
Because for all the jokes and jabs, Green’s still chasing something Barkley never captured: that fifth ring. And if the Warriors can channel some of last year’s underdog magic - and keep their core healthy - they’ve still got enough firepower to make noise in the West.
For now, though, the banter continues. And as always with Draymond and Chuck, it’s part comedy, part competition - and 100% entertaining.