“Whether he’s raised his voice a tad, it never felt like we were being scolded, 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 checking communication skills and JJ Reddick’s ability to lead effectively. But this is not how Charles Barkley sees it.

For him, it was a necessary move. “JJ and LeBron obviously had the podcast, so there’s no way they would disrespect JJ because LeBron had an a** on a flight out of town,” shared Charles Barkley 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’s never coached at the professional level is still a concern. Since he’s good friends with the billionaire King James, his mistakes being called out by the Lakers seem less likely to happen. “When you’re playing with someone your age, do you really listen to him? Do you really question him? At some point, you have to listen to the coach,” expressed Shaquille O’Neal.

Despite the optimism surrounding the Lakers’ new head coach’s appointment, former NBA star Shaq isn’t convinced that he can handle the pressure. Especially when it comes to LeBron James. And, he might be right. In the previous five exhibition games, King James averaged just 1.6 points in a mere 12.4 minutes of gameplay. Even his shooting accuracy of 20% was a major drawback. While these numbers are concerning, first-round pick Dalton Knecht’s 35-point display in the penultimate test offers a bright spot.

But it isn’t just King James under scrutiny.

His 20-year-old son, Bronny James, is also facing criticism. Is the son of a basketball legend good enough for the NBA? While his debut in the regular season is highly anticipated, he has played in a preseason game before. In a matchup 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 secure a win. They suffered a heavy 132-74 loss, fielding their second string. This wasn’t the first time the rookie has faced disappointment. Previously, questions arose about whether he’s ready for the league.

For weeks, fans have relentlessly mocked the father-son duo, often suggesting that a couple more years in college would have benefited Bronny. This comes after he declared for the draft following just one subpar year at USC. Now, with the NBA regular season about to begin 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?