In July, Lakers head coach JJ Redick called Bronny James a “developmental player” who will spend time in the G League to improve his skills for the NBA.
Bronny’s Big Debut:
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Zach Lowe promised that Bronny would play in the Lakers’ first game on Oct. 22 so he and LeBron can make history as the first father-son duo in the NBA. “He’s 100% playing in the opening game so they can have a moment together,” Lowe said on “The Bill Simmons Podcast.” He added, “That’s going to happen, so they [can] pass [the ball] to each other or whatever it ends up being.”
Mixed Reactions:
Simmons thinks LeBron and Bronny playing together is both “the coolest” and “the weirdest” NBA story. He mentioned that during Summer League, it was clear Bronny wasn’t ready for the pros yet. Simmons believes forcing Bronny into games just to please LeBron could lead to backlash. He recalled an anonymous Lakers player who got “very frustrated” because all attention was on Bronny during Summer League.
Fans are excited but also worried about how this will turn out.
Earlier in the podcast, Lowe said he’d be surprised if Bronny doesn’t spend significant time in the G League during the 2024-2025 season. But his guarantee about opening night suggests that the Lakers might be rushing Bronny into NBA action.
Potential Risks:
If the Lakers push too hard and play him right away, it could backfire badly. Everyone will be watching when Los Angeles plays Minnesota on Oct. 22. If Bronny struggles, critics accusing the Lakers of nepotism will get even louder .
The smarter move might be letting him gain experience in the G League first before stepping onto an NBA court regularly.
