By Charles Barkley didn’t hold back in a recent ESPN First Take appearance. Barkley shared his honest thoughts on players all around the NBA receiving massive contracts, per First Take on Twitter.
“We’re paying bums today,” Barkley told Stephen A. Smith on Monday. “I don’t want to offend anybody, but we’re paying janitors, we’re paying plumbers. We’re just giving $200-300 million dollars out like candy.”
Barkley added that he’s “not mad” but he hopes players “appreciate” what they are making.
People around the NBA world certainly were not surprised by Charles Barkley’s brutally honest take. He always shares his true thoughts and opinions on matters.
There are 10 players making over $40 million dollars this season alone, per ESPN. That includes players such as Russell Westbrook and Klay Thompson, who’ve either struggled or dealt with injuries in previous years.
Ben Simmons, who’s obviously endured his share of concerns in recent seasons, is making over $35 million during the 2022-23 campaign. Overall, there are 40 players earning $30 million or more this year.
However, it isn’t just the NBA. MLB and NFL are dishing out attention-grabbing contracts as well. Recent reports suggest that Los Angeles Angels’ superstar Shohei Ohtani, a rare two-way (pitcher and hitter) player, could ink a massive $500 million-plus contract in 2023 MLB free agency.
Again, Charles Barkley made it clear that he isn’t upset by the lucrative spending in the NBA. However, he wasn’t shy about calling out players who may not be worth what they are currently making. Although, he didn’t mention any specific athlete by name.
