Charles Barkley: Warriors may not be title contenders in stacked Western Conference

The Golden State Warriors have had their season derailed by injuries but it is widely believed that with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson healthy next season, the team will return to their status as championship contenders. However, former MVP Charles Barkley is less convinced that the Warriors will reclaim their spot at the top of the NBA.

"The Warriors, it depends on what they do going forward," Barkley said. "Obviously, they are going to have a lottery pick. They are going to have a good team. Any time you got Klay and Steph you're going to have a good team. I mean they are the two greatest shooters who ever lived. They are not going to be the same team they used to be because other teams have gotten a lot better. I mean, listen, the Lakers and the Clippers are not going anywhere, the Nuggets got a good solid team. The Lakers and the Clippers are the two teams to beat, not just this year but going forward."

Barkley certainly has a point that the Western Conference is more loaded than it has ever been during this current Warriors' era. And with Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala no longer with the team, it's not unreasonable to think the Warriors may struggle to dominate the way they used to.

"As far as the Warriors, man they are going to be competitive because of Klay and Steph," Barkley said. "Draymond is a good little player. But the rest of the stuff is out. The rest of the jewelry is out on the rest of that team."