Charles Barkley makes feelings clear on LA Lakers championship chances after Luka Doncic trade 

The Los Angeles Lakers traded Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Doncic to contend for the championship this year and in the future. Doncic, only 25, will be the face of the franchise once LeBron James retires or if the four-time MVP plays for another team. Laker Nation will hope the Slovenian and James can lead the team back to the NBA Finals.

"Inside the NBA" co-host Charles Barkley had this to say about LA’s chance of winning the championship after acquiring Doncic:

“OKC [Thunder] is the team to beat. I don’t think the Lakers are better than the Mavs. I’m not sure if they’re better than Memphis. I’m not sure if they’re better than the Rockets. … They’re not gonna be good defensively. It’s gonna be a really hard adjustment for Luka Doncic, in my opinion.”

According to Barkley, LeBron James and Luka Doncic are so ball-dominant that it will take time for them to adjust. The Hall of Famer claimed that James could play off-ball for stretches, but Doncic has never done it consistently in his career.

The former Mavs star, per "Sir Chuck", must also adjust to the LA Lakers’ style. He insisted that Doncic has to play with more pace, which is not what he usually does when he runs the Dallas offense.

Doncic expressed his excitement to play with LeBron James during his introductory conference. He added that he would learn as much as he could from the NBA legend and vowed to make their partnership work.

Only time will tell if what Charles Barkley predicted comes true.

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LA Lakers add another piece to highlight Luka Doncic trade

The LA Lakers did not just stop with the Luka Doncic trade. GM Rob Pelinka added Mark Williams, a 7-foot-2 center from the Charlotte Hornets to fill the gaping hole left by Anthony Davis. Pelinka went out to address the defensive concerns Barkley brought up.

Williams is finally healthy after two injury-shortened seasons with the Hornets. He is averaging 15.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 blocks per game. The Lakers wanted an elite lob threat for Doncic and acquired one for the superstar point guard.

The LA Lakers believe they could challenge for the championship with the names on their roster. James, Doncic, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Mark Williams form the starting five. JJ Redick’s bench includes Jarred Vanderbilt, Dorian Finney-Smith, Gabe Vincent, Jaxson Hayes, Maxi Kleber, Shake Milton, Trey Jemison III, Bronny James and Christian Koloko.

What do you make of Charles Barkley's comments? Do you think Doncic and James can lead the LA Lakers to the NBA Finals this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.