The Dallas Mavericks traded for Kyrie Irving back in February to give Luka Doncic a co-star of near-equal quality in hopes of bolstering the team's championship hopes. However, some remain unconvinced that the backcourt pairing of Irving and Doncic could lead the Mavs to great heights, with Charles Barkley expressing his concerns about the two's partnership.

Speaking on the Bill Simmons podcast, Barkley expressed his misgivings regarding the championship potential of a Mavs core led by the two All-Star guards. In fact, the Naismith Basketball Memorial Hall of Famer revealed that he was surprised that the Mavs shelled out that kind of money to retain Irving.

“I was surprised when they gave him that much money. But I don't think the Luka-Kyrie thing is gonna work,” Barkley said.

Bill Simmons, a longtime fan of the sport and a diehard Boston Celtics fan, agreed with Charles Barkley's take on the Mavs star duo.

“We knew that,” Simmons replied. “I'm not a fan [of the Luka-Kyrie partnership].”

It's not uncommon for pundits to be cynical towards the Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving duo, especially after how the Mavs' 2022-23 season ended. Irving did not help solve the Mavs' issues on the defensive end of the court, as the team hemorrhaged too many easy buckets in the paint en route to a car crash of a conclusion to their campaign — missing the playoffs only a season after making the Western Conference Finals.

Alas, the Mavs added a few reinforcements in the offseason, with Grant Williams, Richaun Holmes, and rookies Dereck Lively II and Olivier Maxence-Prosper all looking to give the team a two-way boost. Only time will tell if the Mavs end up proving Charles Barkley and Bill Simmons wrong. One thing's for sure: they have the talent to make them eat their words.