Given that Bronny James will soon be alternating between the G-League and the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers have made their first significant in-season choice about his career.
In a victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night, Bronny made his NBA debut by joining his father, LeBron James, on the court after coming off the bench.
Before spending time in the G-League, the younger James will accompany the Lakers on their forthcoming road trip, which begins Monday and runs until November 6, according to ESPN.
ESPN.
The South Bay Lakers, who also play in the Los Angeles region, are the Lakers’ G-League affiliate.
Teams are training until November 7 in preparation for the G-League Draft, which takes place tomorrow. That aligns with Bronny’s impending moves between the NBA team and South Bay.
LeBron had already considered Bronny’s growth and was aware that his son might join the G-League.
Whether it’s with us or the G-League team, he added, “I’m just (looking forward to) seeing him continue to grow as a basketball player and he keeps getting better and better and better.”
Like the rest of us, it is his responsibility to work hard and improve. He will hold us responsible, and we want to hold him responsible. And since we’re all on the same team, we all get better if we all do that. South Bay is a reflection of us, and we are reflected in South Bay.
There was always a plan for Bronny James to divide time between the NBA and the G League after the Los Angeles Lakers selected him in the second round. The Lakers have used the South Bay Lakers for many of their young players over the years, and they will do so once more with Bronny in the weeks to come.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin, Bronny will join the club on their upcoming road trip from October 28 to November 6 before starting his career in the G League. He made his NBA debut with LeBron James, becoming the first father-son team to play together in NBA history.
Bronny James will begin the G League-NBA shuttle after the Lakers' 5-game road trip, per @ShamsCharania & @mcten.
Los Angeles' 5-game road trip includes a game in his hometown Cleveland 👀 pic.twitter.com/Cs0KP08q4M
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 25, 2024
In the second night of a back-to-back, Los Angeles will play the Phoenix Suns on Friday and the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. After that, they will go on a five-game road trip, beginning Monday in Phoenix against the Suns. The Lakers will start making preparations with Bronny as soon as they return to Los Angeles following their game against the Memphis Grizzlies on November 6.
Training camps will start soon after the NBA G League Draft, which is scheduled for November 7. Throughout the 2024–25 season, LA intends to send Bronny to the South Bay Lakers at different times so that the young James can hone his skills and grow. Similar to Max Christie and Maxwell Lewis in the last two seasons, Bronny will alternate between the NBA and G League to acquire as much practice, scrimmage, and possibly game time as possible.
The Lakers and Bronny will spend time carefully honing his craft in the G League because, at 19, he is still recovering from the cardiac arrest he suffered while attending USC last summer, and it is hoped that James will eventually develop into a dependable defensive option on the wing that can guard multiple positions.
Before the season started, Bronny told reporters, “All the cameras and stuff that are going around, feels good, but the work is yet to come.” “I just can’t wait to get in, work with my guys, and compete every day.” Since I began taking basketball seriously, I’ve wanted to do that, and it’s what I truly want to do. I’m just showing up and doing my best, then.
James played just three minutes with his father during the Lakers’ season-opening game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night. Bronny did not score on either of his two shot attempts during his brief playing time, despite grabbing one offensive rebound.
In the upcoming weeks, the Lakers will formally announce their roster decision to send Bronny to South Bay.
