Underperforming rookies, especially those picked in the second round of the Draft, are usually sent to the G League for development. The Los Angeles Lakers plan to use this same strategy with their 55th pick this year, Bronny James, following their upcoming road trip. But Skip Bayless finds it difficult to believe that LeBron James will be okay with his son playing for the South Bay Lakers.
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The LA side revealed that they have decided it would be in Bronny’s best interest to split his time between the Lakers and the franchise’s G League affiliate. However, it’s not clear what LeBron thinks of the move.
Bayless declared that he will only believe it when it actually happens.
“Lakers say Bronny will accompany LeBron on the upcoming 5-game road trip, then go back and forth to the G League when the Lakers return. I’ll believe it when I see it. Hard to believe LeBron wants his namesake on the South Bay Lakers. But for now it sounds good,” the 72-year-old wrote on X.
Lakers say Bronny will accompany LeBron on the upcoming 5-game road trip, then go back and forth to the G League when the Lakers return. I’ll believe it when I see it. Hard to believe LeBron wants his namesake on the South Bay Lakers. But for now it sounds good.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) October 26, 2024
The implication of Bayless’s tweet is that LeBron’s son playing in the G League might not be a good look on his legacy. After all, it is difficult to imagine a “LeBron James” (Jr.) playing in the minor leagues.
But the King has already spoken about his son’s inevitable stint with the South Bay Lakers. From what his comments suggest, the four-time NBA Champion seems to be at peace with this potential move.
“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…,” Bron said during the Lakers’ 2024 media day.
The 19-year-old will accompany the team during the upcoming stretch of five road games. Following the conclusion of this 10-day trip, the guard will keep shuffling between the teams as a two-way player.
James Jr. is getting trolled since this report came out. He will continue to be the butt of jokes on social media for some time. But in the long run, a stint in the G League will be extremely beneficial for the rookie.
Bronny could witness a boost in his morale after playing in the G League
Bronny James has had a lackluster performance in the NBA so far. He averaged 4.2 points on 29.7% FG across six preseason games. He was also allowed to play more than 3 minutes in the season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves but went scoreless.
The teenager has shown signs of being an effective role player. A young player with his physicality and basketball IQ can thrive as a decent two-way player if given more minutes to play. The G League will help him gain that confidence and allow him that opportunity for growth.
However, it could also backfire badly. If Bronny fails to deliver in the G-League as well, then that’ll only fan the flames of the voices claiming that Bronny was only drafted because LeBron pulled the strings from behind the scenes. Therefore, the rookie will have to put up some solid numbers to put the ‘nepotism’ claims to bed.
