Philadelphia 76ers

Charles Barkley ethers DeAndre Jordan: ‘DeAndre needs to be sitting over there beside Doc Rivers and those guys’

Published by
Jonathan Sherman

With Joel Embiid out of action due to a head injury that he suffered in the final game of the Philadelphia 76ers’ series win over the Toronto Raptors, veteran big man DeAndre Jordan has been called upon to try to help fill the void for the Sixers.

After a horrendous showing in his team’s Game 1 loss to the Miami Heat, Jordan has come under fire from a number of NBA analysts and pundits. Perhaps the harshest criticism came from former NBA superstar Charles Barkley.

Barkley went so far as to imply that Jordan should simply retire from the league considering his performance in Game 1. Precisely, Barkley indicated that he believes Jordan would have a more positive impact on his team as a coach rather than a player.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5bJFs6sePMfLVjYIzIiKkf?si=a5b0b6f45b4c40ac

“DeAndre needs to be sitting over there beside Doc Rivers and those guys,” Barkley said. “It’s over for DeAndre. He’s had a hell of a career, but he can’t play, especially in today’s NBA. In today’s NBA, if you can’t move, it’s very difficult for you. … Big guys who can’t move can’t play in today’s NBA game, and that’s not fair for DeAndre to put himself out there.”

Barkley has become known for his entertaining and strongly opinionated words, and while his take on Jordan may be harsh, there is no denying that the veteran was a detriment to his team in Game 1.

In 17 minutes, he recorded just four points, two rebounds, two blocks and committed two turnovers in Game 1. Perhaps most notably, his plus-minus in the game was an abysmal minus-22. His Sixers ended up losing by 14 points.

With Game 2 just hours away, it will soon become clear what the Sixers themselves think of Jordan’s ability to help on the court. Given his numbers in Game 1, it wouldn’t be much of a shock to see Jordan back on the bench as his team tries to overcome the Embiid injury and even the series.

Jonathan Sherman

Jonathan has worked as a sports writer covering NBA and NFL news since 2017. He's a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Vikings.

Published by
Jonathan Sherman

Recent Posts

Paul George: ‘Jared McCain can’t be our most consistent player’

Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard Jared McCain has played as well as any first-year player so…

12 hours ago

Antonio Brown offering to play for Steelers ‘for free’ to finish 2024 season

Former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown enjoyed his golden years in the league while playing…

12 hours ago

Jemele Hill blasts X amid LeBron’s social media break: ‘Full of racists, conspiracy theorists and jerks’

On Wednesday, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James called out the amount of negativity in…

15 hours ago

Joel Embiid says ‘everything’ gets blown out of proportion with him: ‘I’m the reason for everything’

Following the Philadelphia 76ers' loss to the Miami Heat on Monday, the squad reportedly held…

17 hours ago

Ben Simmons’ agent dunks on media outlet that disrespected his client

Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons laid an egg against the New York Knicks on Nov.…

2 days ago

Michael Jordan’s former teammate takes issue with G League plan for Bronny James

Former NFL safety Ryan Clark recently spoke critically of the fact that Los Angeles Lakers…

2 days ago