National Basketball Association

Charles Barkley: 'I have no idea what the Sixers are doing now'

Published Feb. 25, 2015 11:21 a.m. ET

foxsports

Charles Barkley isn't exactly one to sit quietly and hold back an opinion, which is exactly why we shouldn't be surprised he had some choice words about the Philadelphia 76ers' long-term strategy.

Barkley went on local CBS radio in Philadelphia on Tuesday and was asked about the team's surprising trades last week. Here's what he had to say, via Philadelphia.CBSlocal.com:

The Sixers made a bunch of moves last Thursday at the deadline, unloading reigning Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams and well-liked 2014-15 rookie K.J. McDaniels, among others. In the end, the team netted two first-round picks along with second-rounders in the upcoming draft, exactly what Hinkie prefers. No one values draft picks like the 76ers do.

But as Barkley told the radio hosts, giving up Carter-Williams and Daniels was a head-scratcher:

Sixers management has become one of the most controversial front offices in the NBA this season with its organizational philosophies leading to plenty of basketball ethics debates. Is it kosher to lose intentionally and make it this obvious that's your goal? Will the 76ers ever have a present, or will they keep selling fans on the future? At what point do these draft picks materialize into tangible value?

Barkley may have actually been a little tamer than expected when talking about the Sixers. A known member of the anti-analytics party, you'd think the former 76er himself would be against Hinkie's philosophies, ones which are drenched in numbers and probabilities. But Barkley actually seemed more confused than he did outraged, more of a nuanced take than we're used to seeing from him.