On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Lakers opened the 2024-25 season with a 110-103 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Following win No. 1, an NBA insider made a bold claim about the organization’s 2024 second-round pick.
“Bronny James needs the G League (and there’s nothing wrong with that),” Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey wrote Wednesday. “LeBron James’ career has featured plenty of all-time firsts, and he picked up another one on opening night. Late in the second quarter, he checked into the game alongside his son, making him and Bronny the only father-son duo to share the floor in NBA history.”
“But Bronny’s freshman campaign at USC, his few games in summer league and his limited run in the preseason all showed the same thing: Bronny is not an NBA-level player right now. It made sense for coach JJ Redick to play them together in the first game. Having that moment and not having to answer the “when will it happen?” questions early in the season are both wins. But he played fewer than three minutes for a reason.”
“He was mostly in the corner on offense for a reason. He’s undersized. He’s struggled mightily to shoot ever since he arrived at USC. But he’s a willing defender with unparalleled pedigree. And the G League exists, at least in part, to develop prospects who aren’t quite ready. There, he can play with less pressure, focus on his development and do whatever the coaching staff needs him to to get ready to make a real impact at the NBA level.”
James recorded one rebound against the Timberwolves on opening night but failed to sink a basket in three minutes of action. The basketball community was well aware that the No. 55 overall pick would share an iconic moment with his father, LeBron, to begin the new season, but the bottom line is the 6-foot-2 guard is best suited for the G league.
In addition to struggling with basic offensive concepts during the summer league and preseason, the 6-foot-2 guard didn’t wow NBA scouts during his lone season at USC, averaging 4.8 points on 36.6% shooting from the field and 26.7% shooting from three-point land.
James will sit down defensively and remain engaged when his man is serving as an off-ball threat, but he’s a second-round project who should be getting as many reps as possible in the NBA’s minor league.
It may sound harsh, but James would benefit from turning his weaknesses into strengths and eventually playing his way into the Lakers’ rotation.
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