Charles Barkley liked what he saw from LeBron James in the Philadelphia 76ers’ opener, but he’s not sold on the current frontcourt setup holding up over a full season.
The Sixers opened with a statement win over the reigning champions New York Knicks, and LeBron James was a major part of it. Joel Embiid singled him out for the way he handled some minutes as a backup center against Karl-Anthony Towns, giving Philadelphia another wrinkle to lean on.
That flexibility impressed Barkley, but it also set off his alarm bells. On 97.5 The Fanatic, the Hall of Famer said the Sixers will need more size if they expect James to keep absorbing that kind of workload.
“Man, they get really small when they go to the bench. They gonna have to find some size. I was watching the game, like, man, they got a bunch of little leprechauns out there when they go to the bench, and they gotta find some size.”
Barkley’s “little leprechauns” remark was aimed at the team’s thin depth, with Anfernee Simons listed at 6ft 4″ and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope at 6ft 5″. Barkley, who was listed at 6’6″ during his own playing career but has said 6’4″ is more accurate, knows a thing or two about making up for size with force.
He also pointed to Tacko Fall, the 7ft 6″ center the Sixers signed and ruled out for the opener because of injury. Fall, who has been playing in China and hasn’t appeared in the NBA since the 2021-22 season, is a long shot, but Barkley said the move at least made sense.
“I saw they signed Tacko, and I said, okay, that makes sense.
“They’ve got to find some size somewhere on that second unit because LeBron can’t be playing them big dudes at 42, Game 25 into the season, 35, 40, and then try to make it to the playoffs. They’re gonna have to find some size somewhere because LeBron did a good job last night playing.
“But he can’t hold up at his age trying to play up against those big guys for the next seven months.”
LeBron was the main facilitator for the Sixers at Madison Square Garden, helping a new-look roster meet the moment against the Knicks. But Barkley’s warning was clear: with Embiid’s injury history and the likelihood of nights when he’s unavailable or resting, Philadelphia can’t afford to lean too hard on James inside.
James turns 42 in December and is still playing at a remarkably high level, but the season is long. With 81 games left before the playoffs, Barkley’s point was simple - the Sixers need more depth, and they need it soon.
In Other News...
Sixers Home Opener Brings An Early Test They Should Feel
The 76ers first home game of the season arrives with some real weight behind it. After opening by beating the Knicks 106-100 on ring night in New York, Philadelphia comes back to the city for a matchup with a Cavaliers team that has spent the offseason reshaping itself and talking like a contender. For a Sixers group trying to set an early tone, it is the sort of test that should tell them plenty about where they stand.
Cleveland has not been subtle about its ambitions, making major roster changes and bringing in Donovan Mitchell while also adding James Harden. With LeBron James now in Philadelphia, the Cavaliers are carrying added pressure to turn those moves into something more than paper strength, and the home opener gives the Sixers a chance to measure themselves against a team that expects to be in the championship conversation. It is still early, but this is the kind of game that can start to define how serious a season feels. [Read more 🡒]
76ers Shooting Search Could Put A Familiar Name Back In Play
The Lakers decision to waive Dalton Knecht ahead of the roster deadline has put a familiar shooting option back on the market, and the 76ers are now among the teams reportedly keeping an eye on him. For Philadelphia, the appeal is obvious: a young perimeter scorer who showed enough in his rookie season to suggest he can help, even if his role in Los Angeles faded as the year went on.
The bigger question is timing. The 76ers would need to open a roster spot before making a move, but the possibility of adding Knecht later in the season gives them a straightforward path to a potential shooting upgrade without forcing an immediate decision. For a team still weighing ways to add spacing, that makes this one worth watching as the roster picture settles. [Read more 🡒]
76ers May Have Found A Surprising Way To Survive Embiid Minutes
Early in the season, the 76ers are already having to think creatively about their frontcourt rotation, and one of the more unusual ideas on the board has come directly from Joel Embiid. With injuries and limited depth at center forcing the staff to search for answers, the conversation has turned toward using LeBron James as a nominal center in certain lineups, a wrinkle that would give Philadelphia another way to stay afloat when Embiid is off the floor.
The concept is not being framed as a full-time shift, but rather a situational tactic for moments when Embiid is sidelined or in foul trouble. For a team trying to preserve its lineup flexibility and survive the minutes when its anchor is unavailable, it is the sort of unconventional adjustment that can keep games from slipping away while the coaches look for more permanent solutions. [Read more 🡒]