Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James is being assigned to the NBA’s G League where the team hopes he will continue to develop his game well beyond the 1.0 points per contest he is currently contributing.
It’s not all bad news though for Bronny and his Dad, LeBron James. The Lakers will have him splitting time between G League games when their affiliate, South Bay, is playing at home, and some regular NBA roster games.
This, the team contends, has always been the plan.
Bronny will keep a nice warm spot on the bench for 47 of 48 minutes during Friday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers, before rejoining South Bay on Saturday.
Lakers coach JJ Redick previously indicated that the “plan for Bronny to move between the Lakers and South Bay has always been the plan since day one.”
Bronny James Being ‘Held Accountable’
Bronny’s odd assignment with the G League seems to have the blessing of LeBron James. He got what he wanted by making history with him and his son taking the floor together at the start of the season.
Now he knows the kid needs work. And badly.
“Just [looking forward to] seeing him continue to grow as a basketball player, no matter if it’s here with us or if it’s down with the G League team, and him continuing to get better and better and better,” the NBA’s all-time leading scorer told ESPN.
“His job is to put the work in and get better and better, just like the rest of us. And we want to hold him accountable, and he’s going to hold us accountable.”
Right Move By The Lakers
If we’re being reasonable, Bronny James probably isn’t even a G League prospect. We all saw him average a paltry 4.8 points per game at USC. On 36.6% shooting from the floor.
At the Summer League, the younger James was incapable of hitting the broad side of a barn with the basketball. That’s continued, as he’s played in 4 games for the Lakers thus far, scoring 4 points on 1-6 shooting.
The Lakers wasted a second-round draft pick and a 4-year, $7.9 million guaranteed contract all so they could re-sign an aging LeBron – though he still plays at a high level – and give him a Make-a-Wish moment.
That said, this is clearly the right move. They’re stuck with Bronny and must do something. Sending him to the G League for further development of his skills is the only chance he has of improving his game.
If they were truly being reasonable though, they’d send him there full-time.
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