“Whether he raised his voice a little bit, it never felt like we were being insulted, if that makes sense.” shared LeBron James’ teammate Gabe Vincent. It was right after the team’s preseason game against the Phoenix Suns. It seemed like the team was more focused on reviewing JJ Reddick’s communication skills and ability to lead effectively. But that’s not how Charles Barkley sees it.

For him it was a necessary step. “JJ and LeBron obviously had the podcast, so there was no way they were going to disrespect JJ because LeBron had an ass on a flight out of town.Charles Barkley shared during a discussion with the team on October 22nd. With the NBA season about to begin, the uncertain feelings about Reddick leading the Lakers’ locker room are still present.

He might have taken the job, but the fact that he never trained at a professional level is still a concern. Since he is good friends with billionaire King James, his flaws seem less likely to be showcased by the Lakers. “Do you really listen to someone your age when you play with them? Are you really questioning him? “At some point you have to listen to the coach.” expressed Shaquille O’Neal.

Despite the optimism surrounding the appointment of the Lakers’ new head coach, former NBA star Shaq isn’t convinced he can handle the pressure. Especially when it comes to LeBron James. And he might be right. In the last five friendlies, King James has averaged just 1.6 points in just 12.4 minutes of play. Even his 20% shooting accuracy was a major disadvantage. Although these numbers are concerning, first-rounder Dalton Knecht’s 35-point performance in the penultimate test offers a bright spot.

But it’s not just King James who is under scrutiny.

His 20-year-old son Bronny James is also criticized. Is the son of a basketball legend good enough for the NBA? Although his regular season debut is highly anticipated, he has played in a preseason game before. In a match against the Golden State Warriors, he managed to score 17 points, grab four rebounds and make three steals.

It was a much-needed confidence boost for him, but the performance wasn’t enough for the Lakers to win. They suffered a heavy loss 132-74 and fielded their second team. This wasn’t the first time the rookie experienced disappointment. There were previously questions about whether he was ready for the league.

Fans have been relentlessly mocking the father-son duo for weeks, often suggesting that Bronny would have benefited from a few more years of college. This came after he declared for the draft after just one subpar year at USC. Now, as the NBA regular season begins at Crypto.com Arena against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the question remains: Will they be able to prove themselves, especially with their head coach also under pressure?