Charles Barkley is swinging on the NBA and Adam Silver.
LeBron James recently attended a promotional event for a tequila brand just before the NBA play-in tournament, leaving some wondering why the league didn’t take a closer look and suspend James for his seeming violation of coronavirus protocols.
In an interview with Yahoo Sports, Barkley ripped the league for its apparent preferable treatment of the Lakers superstar, saying the NBA “ain’t got the balls” to suspend LeBron heading into the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
MORE: James violated NBA COVID-19 protocol, won’t be suspended
I love Adam Silver, rest in peace David Stern, the best commissioner in sports. The NBA ain’t got the balls to f—ing suspend LeBron James. Zero. Listen, today, when I read that, I just — sometimes you read stuff, you just start laughing.
Hey, the NBA, they ain’t got no chance of suspending LeBron James. If it was a nobody, they would put him in healthy and safety protocols. Ain’t no f—ing way LeBron James is going to be sitting out with all the health and safety protocols. When I read that, I just started laughing. LeBron James is playing Sunday. Guarantee.
Guarantee made good: James is, in fact, playing on Sunday vs. the Suns. The Association decided that the event James attended didn’t rise to a true threat to spread the virus, per ESPN.
LeBron James won’t be suspended for protocols violation, sources tell ESPN. Nature of event didn’t rise to a threat level of virus spread, as described in @McTen‘s story below. Suns-Lakers Game 1 on Sunday. https://t.co/nEAcnBsbvv
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 22, 2021
James, who had been hobbled by an ankle injury at the end of the regular season, looks like he’s all systems go for the Lakers’ first-round matchup vs. the Suns on Sunday night.
That should make Barkley happy.