Never accuse Charles Barkley of lacking in opinions.
During an appearance at the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship Tournament, the NBA star-turned TNT broadcaster was quick to take a jab at LeBron -- not only over his appearance in a summer blockbuster, but also his disappointing finish in this year's NBA Finals.
James' Cleveland Cavaliers fell to the Golden State Warriors this summer after injuries devastated the team's roster, forcing James to work with a lineup mostly of role players.
Despite his own strong performance, he wasn't able to carry that depleted roster, falling to the Warriors in six games.
"LeBron should call (the movie "Trainwreck," featuring James as a prominent cast member) Trainwreck 2, because the Finals was Trainwreck 1," Barkley told Jim Kozimor on SportsTalk Live.
"Trainwreck," a movie produced by Judd Apatow and championed by writer-director Amy Schumer, features James playing a fictionalized version of himself -- and, as many critics have noted, he does a commendable job on the silver screen.
But the movie's favorable reception is only a consolation prize to the Cavaliers star, who admitted that even weeks after losing the NBA Finals, he continues to have trouble sleeping at night.
Barkley seems to think James is right to wonder what might have been.
"I still think if Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving had’ve been healthy, they would have won that series," Barkley said. "LeBron flat out ran out of gas."
"But you put two more All-Stars on that team, the Warriors still might have won but I would have picked the Cavs if everyone was healthy."
Barkley also responded to criticisms that he hates the Golden State Warriors. It's not the team or the players, he insists -- it's the way they play. And that style, he argues, it the reason he would pick a healthy Cavs team over the champion Warriors.
"I've been on television for 16 years, and I've said the exact same thing for 16 years: I'm not big on jump shooting teams," Barkley told Kozimir. "And the one year you guys have a terrific season, y'all took it personally."
