NBA PLAYOFFS : Barkley’s Retirement Is ‘More Than Likely’

Charles Barkley said Saturday he will probably retire this summer.

This time he means it. No, really.

If this sounds familiar, it should. Sir Charles said the same thing upon accepting the most-valuable-player trophy in the spring of 1993 . . . just before he played two more seasons with the Suns.

After Phoenix was eliminated by the Houston Rockets in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals, Barkley said at America West Arena he has all but decided to call it quits.

“I’ll tell you the same thing I told the team after the game,” he said. “More than likely, I have played my last game. There’s no soul-searching. It’s not even a big deal. I think you just get to a point where you have to make decisions. I’m not saying this is 100% done, but I told them [his teammates], more than likely I have played my last game.”

Barkley added he will meet with team President Jerry Colangelo to discuss the situation. Colangelo urged restraint, noting that the comments came in the wake of a difficult game, because of the outcome and because Barkley needed injections before tipoff and at halftime to ease the pain of a sore left knee.

“He’s saying this after a seventh-game loss in the playoffs,” Colangelo said. “Obviously, he’s hurting. I think it’s important to wait a few days.”

In other words, the Suns aren’t biting.

When someone asked A.C. Green if teammates thought Barkley was serious, Green started to laugh.