The Cleveland Cavaliers’ recent record against the New York Knicks hasn’t been the best. The Knicks swept them 4-0 in the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals, and this season, the reigning champs beat them again in their first meeting. So when Charles Barkley bashed the team for its performance, perhaps he had a reason, but it wasn’t one Donovan Mitchell liked.

Ahead of the team’s most recent matchup, Barkley claimed that “the Cavs suck.” The Cavaliers proved him wrong and won 115-107 against the Knicks on November 11, 2026. After the team won, Mitchell discovered Barkley’s comments.

“Who gives a f**k?” Mitchell told Cleveland.com. “Chuck ain’t here. If Chuck said we were the defending champs and made positive comments, what’s that going to do for us?”

“Chuck ain’t doing nothing for us in this locker room. I have nothing but respect for those guys. So, no disrespect to them or you or anyone else, but who gives a f**k? At the end of the day, it’s all about us in here,” he further added.

Mitchell is a workhorse for the Cavs, and he’s signed through the 2030-31 season, with a player option for that final year. Naturally, he isn’t afraid of showing his commitment to the team on and off the court. Against the Knicks on Wednesday, he scored 23 points, shooting 8-for-15 from the field and making two of seven 3-pointers.

So far, he has averaged 22.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. His numbers have largely remained consistent over the last few seasons with a dip this season and yet, the team always seems to fall short. The front office’s refusal to break up this core roster is a big part of what Barkley’s criticism stems from.

Six months ago, Barkley believed that the Cavaliers were genuine championship material. Eleven games into the season, he felt that the roster needed to change. In fact, he argued that the team hadn’t changed enough over the summer ahead of the regular season.

“They were number one a couple years ago, had the home court, got knocked out early,” Barkley explained on Inside the NBA on November 11. “Last year they were up 22 and then didn’t win another game. Now you cannot bring this same team back; that’s insanity, thinking they’re going to have a different outcome.”

Barkley’s criticism is mainly concerned with the Cleveland Cavaliers’ offensive hierarchy and identity. He personally gave Mitchell the green light, claiming that he’s the best player the Cavaliers have. However, according to him, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, the two other tall players, should be used as the second and third options behind Mitchell.

He argued that the two don’t get the ball enough despite having huge scoring potential. On the other hand, he said James Harden is a better passer than a scorer at the current stage of his career. However, if Mitchell, Mobley, and Allen aren’t the Cavs’ most important players, they’re just “not going to win.”

Overall, the NBA legend believes that the team should have been broken up or reconstructed. He isn’t very hopeful of their future this season despite the Cavs holding a 6-6 record so far.

Charles Barkley’s comments sound effective on paper; however, until the Cavaliers make a change, the theory can’t be proven on the court and turned into a better seasonal performance.