The Los Angeles Lakers are among the most successful franchises in sports, with 17 NBA championships and legendary players like Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, and LeBron James. Their star-studded history makes them one of the most covered teams in NBA media. That attention grew last month when the Lakers made a major trade, sending Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Luka Doncic, considered one of the league’s top scorers. However, not everyone is happy with the constant spotlight on Los Angeles.

During NBA on TNT, Hall of Famer Charles Barkley criticized the media for favoring big-market teams like the Lakers and Golden State Warriors, calling out ESPN for their heavy coverage of both franchises. “The Lakers are doing great,” Barkley said. “But the reason the season’s been great is the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder. Y’all just want to talk about the Warriors and the Lakers. They’re doing great, but y’all are idiots cause y’all talk about them all the time.”

Barkley continued by highlighting how top-seeded teams like Cleveland and Oklahoma City aren’t getting enough media attention. “The Cavaliers have won 12 straight games, and Oklahoma City has the MVP. Y’all are focused on who’s in second place. That’s what pisses me off.”

Despite Barkley’s criticism, both the Lakers and Warriors have made big improvements since the trade deadline. The Lakers are on a seven-game winning streak, while the Warriors, after acquiring Jimmy Butler, have climbed to sixth place in the West, just outside the play-in tournament.

The Lakers will try to push their streak to eight games when they face the New York Knicks on Thursday night. With two of the league’s biggest markets facing off, the game is sure to dominate headlines – whether Barkley likes it

or not.