Charles Barkley: If Knicks get Jeff Teague, playoffs are 'a lock'

Charles Barkley picked the Knicks to make the playoffs before the season started. Now, he's touting the team some more, via Peter Botte of the New York Daily News:

The Knicks' point guard play, which wasn't all too effective to begin with, has fallen off of late. Jose Calderon has missed the team's previous four games, and with that, Langston Galloway has stepped into the starting lineup. It hasn't been all flowers and honey since his entry, though. During the Knicks' previous game, Tuesday's 97-89 loss to the Celtics, their two point guards, Galloway and Jerian Grant, combined for exactly one point. Galloway played 34 minutes. Grant played seven.

There's no question the Knicks would be better if they acquired a point guard with an above-average skill set, and Teague certainly fits that bill. But how would the Knicks get him?

If the Hawks were to let go of their starting point guard, they'd likely want back some wings, which they are missing. The Knicks, though, have a surplus of bigs. The pieces don't really fit. On top of that, you'd have to imagine that even though New York doesn't have its draft pick, it won't be willing to throw away future success for an off chance at garnering the No. 8 seed.

It's not like the No. 10-seed Knicks are just barely out of it. At 23-28, after losing six of their past seven, they're four back of the Pistons in the loss column for the East's final playoff spot. Barkley's statement is certainly bold in that sense, though it's unlikely we'll ever get to find out if he's right or wrong.