LeBron and Bronny James’ NBA time put on hold as Lakers assign Bronny to G League team

CNN
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Bronny James scored six factors in his G-League debut with the South Bay Lakers.

James began and scored six factors on Saturday because the Lakers defeated the Salt Lake Metropolis Stars 110-96 on the UCLA Well being Coaching Heart in El Segundo, California.

“I haven’t been with the staff as a lot as I can to determine what my function is on that staff. So I’m simply going out and enjoying my recreation and simply hooping,” James mentioned by way of the Related Press.

LeBron James alongside along with his spouse, Savannah, Laker teammates Anthony Davis and D’Angelo Russell, Lakers common supervisor Rob Pelinka and extra sat courtside to look at the debut.

The Los Angeles Lakers assigned James to the staff’s G League South Bay Lakers squad on Thursday.

The transfer was broadly anticipated and comes after the rookie guard appeared in simply three of the Lakers’ first eight video games of the season. Enjoying a really restricted function with the staff, Bronny tallied 4 factors in 13 complete minutes of enjoying time.

The 20-year-old made historical past within the Lakers’ season opener in opposition to the Minnesota Timberwolves in October when he and LeBron grew to become the primary father-son duo to seem collectively in an NBA recreation.

Bronny, who was taken within the second spherical of the NBA Draft in June, ought to see elevated enjoying time within the G League, the place many later draft picks are given the chance to proceed to develop their talent units.

James’ reassignment doesn’t essentially imply that NBA followers have seen the final of the rookie enjoying alongside his father within the NBA this season.

Lakers coach J.J. Redick advised reporters in October that the staff had all the time supposed for the rookie to separate time between the NBA and the G League all through the season.

“The plan for Bronny to maneuver between the Lakers and South Bay has all the time been the plan since day one,” Redick mentioned, based on the Related Press. “(Lakers common supervisor) Rob (Pelinka) and I’ve talked about that. LeBron’s talked about that.”

James’ path towards NBA historical past enjoying alongside his well-known father has not all the time been easy. As an incoming freshman with the USC Trojans, James suffered a cardiac arrest in July 2023 throughout a staff observe.

Following the well being scare, James underwent a surgical process to deal with a congenital coronary heart defect and was sidelined for a number of months earlier than being cleared to return to the court docket.

Because of this, James’ solely season on the faculty stage was abbreviated. He began solely six video games for the Trojans, with most of his minutes coming off the bench.

James might make his debut with the South Bay Lakers on Saturday in opposition to the Salt Lake Metropolis Stars in El Segundo, California. LeBron’s Lakers, in the meantime, proceed their season in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers Friday evening at dwelling.