Draymond Green spars with Barkley over Warriors era

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green traded sharp words with TNT analyst Charles Barkley during Wednesday's edition of ESPN's "Inside the NBA" pregame show ahead of the New York Knicks' playoff victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Filling in for Shaquille O'Neal, Green discussed his team's uncertain future after the Warriors missed the playoffs for the second time in three years, finishing 37-45 and exiting in the play-in tournament. Barkley declared the franchise's championship era over. "It's over for the Warriors. No disrespect. It ends for every old team. You had your run, you get old, y'all let Klay go. You and Steph are on the backside of y'all careers. It just passed you by," Barkley said. He added that sports favor the young, noting nobody wins titles at ages 37 or 38.

Green fired back with a pointed reference to Barkley's late-career stint with the Houston Rockets from 1996 to 2000. "I think the goal is just to not look like you in the Houston Rockets uniform," Green said. When co-host Kenny Smith asked for clarification, Green replied, "Did you see it?" Barkley responded simply, "Yeah."

The exchange drew widespread criticism on social media, where fans and...