NBA legend Charles Barkley talks about LeBron James, the 76ers and the Rockets ahead of the season

Charles Barkley tried to win a championship ring with the Houston Rockets late in his career but did not come particularly close.

The NBA legend believes Kevin Durant won’t have any better luck in his own twilight title quest. Houston is seen as a longshot to win the Western Conference in 2026-27, and Barkley is even more resolute in his opinion on the Rockets. "It’s over with," Barkley said in an exclusive interview with Casino Guru. "It’s all about OKC and San Antonio for the next few years in the West." Barkley said the trade for Durant has ended up being a net-negative for the franchise.

The 16-time All-Star averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists last season, shooting 52.0 percent from the field and 41.3 percent from three-point range, but the Rockets didn’t improve in the standings. They went 52-30 in 2024-25 without him, losing in the first round of the playoffs. They went 52-30 last season, losing in the first round of the playoffs.

When asked what he thought about the Rockets heading into the 2026-27 season, Barkley answered bluntly. "I don’t think about (the Rockets) at all," Barkley said. Why not? "They’re not any good," Barkley said. "They’ve got no leadership and they don’t have a style of play."

Barkley: ‘A Lot of Mouths to Feed’ for 76ers.

Barkley began his decorated career with the 76ers, the team that will have the biggest spotlight in the NBA this season after the offseason additions of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown. James signed a two-year contract with the 76ers, spurning a chance for a career-ending homecoming with the Cavaliers. "I was surprised and disappointed he went to Philly," Barkley said. "I was hoping he’d go back to Cleveland to finish his career."

While Barkley was hoping for a storybook career ending for LeBron, he acknowledges the talent that has been assembled in Philadelphia. "The Sixers are probably going to be the favorite, but they’ve got a lot of questions to answer," Barkley said.

Barkley points to a pair of key reasons why the 76ers may stumble this year. "They’ve got a couple issues," Barkley said. "Number one: can Joel (Embiid) stay healthy and can LeBron stay healthy? LeBron hasn’t played a full season in probably six years. Joel has never played a full season. And the second question is, they’ve got a lot of mouths to feed. So there will be a lot of questions."

Barkley also points to the strength of the Eastern Conference. While the West is top-heavy with the Thunder and Spurs, the East has a list of potential contenders that includes the defending champion Knicks, the Pistons, Celtics, Cavaliers, Raptors and Heat in addition to the 76ers. "I can’t remember the last time I said this: the Eastern Conference is probably better than the Western Conference," Barkley said. "(The 76ers) have got to stay healthy to have a good season."

Barkley: Spurs Not Clear Favorites in West

The Spurs knocked off the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals last season and star center Victor Wembanyama is the preseason favorite to win MVP. However, Barkley does not believe San Antonio is the clear-cut top dog of the conference. "OKC is right there," Barkley said. "They didn’t have their second-best player (Jalen Williams) and they still took them seven games."

Barkley said the two powers will be the class of the Western Conference for the next half-decade. "It’s going to be between those two teams the next five years, easily," Barkley said.

Barkley wasn’t happy with the end to Wembanyama’s third NBA season but likes him as a person and has high hopes moving forward. "I love Wemby," Barkley said. "I was disappointed with the way he finished the Finals, the way he disrespected the press and not congratulating the winners. But I think he’s a great kid and he’s got a great future."