Barkley: 'Durant is trying to cheat his way into a championship'

Another day, another retired player complains about today's generation. "Inside the NBA" star Charles Barkley doesn't like Kevin Durant's decision to join a 73-win team in the Golden State Warriors.

"Kevin Durant is trying to cheat his way into a championship," Barkley told the Mike & Mike show.

Durant has taken tons of heat since exercising his free-agency rights to join a new employer of his choosing. Paul Pierce - "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em." - and Damian Lillard - "The game has really changed." - were among the countless players who expressed their opinions on Durant's surprise jump to Golden State.

After nine seasons and no titles to his name, Durant's decision appears to be a result of his desire to avoid the list of superstars who never claimed an NBA championship, including Karl Malone, John Stockton, and Barkley himself.

Barkley, a Hall of Famer, made one NBA Finals in his 16-year career, losing to the Chicago Bulls in 1992-93.

Barkley said the Thunder, along with the San Antonio Spurs, would have been favorites for next season's title, ahead of Golden State, had Durant stayed put, despite the fact the Warriors have made the Finals two years in a row.

"(OKC) probably would have been the favorite going into the Western Conference final next year," said Barkley, who also called the Warriors "overrated."

"I think people figured out Golden State's small ball."

The point was also raised that Barkley joined a few "superteams" of his own, namely the Houston Rockets in 1996 to pair with Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler.

Barkley retorted by saying his situation was different because he was traded to Houston as a 33-year-old. Durant, by comparison, is 27 and in the prime of his career.