The seemingly endless GOAT debate in basketball often leaves little room for nuanced discussion.

Those who believe Michael Jordan is the best to ever do it will undoubtedly continue to find ways to display the accomplishments of LeBron James. Those who have LBJ as their number one will choose to highlight the flaws on MJ’s resume. 

In reality, the canvas for one is still slightly wet, still being painted on, while the other is from a different era that has already long passed us. 

With that in mind, the latest comments from Charles Barkley illustrate just how diluted the discourse can be when talking about James.

According to the Hall of Famer and national TV analyst, the latest move to Philadelphia only proves that James is once again stacking the deck in his favor. This is a not-so-subtle way to lessen the career of James as someone who is ‘unwilling to compete.’ Jordan was particularly known and lauded for his competitiveness. The aim here by Barkley is to once again stab a stake into the heart of the credibility of James as the greatest basketball player to ever live.

It is now known, however, that had the New York Knicks not won the championship, James would have been playing his home games at MSG for the upcoming season.

In case anyone has doubts over this, he is, in fact, living in NYC while commuting to work in Philadelphia.

At the end of the day, regardless of some of the political aspects of this conversation, good players want to play with other good players. 

Think about it across other fields within the marketplace. Doctors aim to join practices with the best reputation. Lawyers try to surround themselves with those they can form an unstoppable legal team with. 

Regardless of one’s area of expertise, being with the best possible teammate is important and simply makes life easier.

This is something James learned early on when he was forced to carry the city of Cleveland through the Cavaliers’ postseason runs, only to fall short against the likes of the more cohesive units, such as the veteran San Antonio Spurs squads.

As is, James joining the 76ers is far from a guarantee of anything. Chemistry and injury concerns will constantly be something to analyze when it comes to this team. It does, though, provide James a more equal fighting chance in a league that has the Oklahoma City Thunder, the championship-winning Knicks, and a newly engaged Spurs team. 

Barkley is wrong. James isn’t stacking the deck. He is simply being forced, once again, to try to keep up with the Joneses.