Bronny James turned a corner during the Lakers‘ 128-122 win over the Suns in their penultimate preseason games. Putting up 4 points and 2 rebounds on 2-4 shooting from the field, James finished the game with a plus/minus of +17, the highest for the Lakers. Jalen Hood-Schifino was right behind him with +12, followed by Jaxson Hayes and Armel Traore with +10 each.
Last night was the highest plus/minus score Bronny has registered during the preseason, with his earlier scores being far worse. He started off against the Timberwolves with a -12, followed by the Suns with a -16, a -12 against the Timberwolves, followed by a neutral 0 against the Warriors.
For the uninitiated, a plus/minus score of a player indicates the impact they had on the game, and how the scoreline changed while they were on the court. For example, if a player has a +5 plus/minus, it means that during their time on the court, their team went up by 5 points. Whereas, a score of -5 would mean that their team went down by 5 points while they were on the court.
Given where Bronny’s plus/minus scores were ranging in the first few preseason games, it is clear that there has been an improvement in what he brings to the Lakers when he is on the court, even if he is not directly contributing with points, assists, or other statistical contributions.
Bronny’s preseason run hasn’t been great, as he averages 1.6 points, 1.0 rebounds, 0.2 assists, 0.0 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game. Of course, these numbers do not appear impressive, but we must remember that Bronny is a late second-round pick who is most likely to spend much of the next season with the Lakers’ G-League unit. Establishing that fact helps fans determine what Bronny’s ceiling currently is.
Bronny James Facing Unwarranted Scrutiny
Despite the aforementioned facts about Bronny James and his ceiling, much of the NBA media and fanbase have been assessing James as a top lottery pick, and consistently ridiculing him when he fails to live up to those expectations. Bronny has unfortunately fallen victim to people judging him based on his last name.
There is no doubt that the young man is facing an immense amount of pressure heading into the NBA, as he is following in the footsteps of his father, LeBron James, who without a doubt, is one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.
What fans and analysts must remember is that Bronny is not LeBron James, and as of now, hasn’t shown any signs that he will ever reach that level. But that doesn’t mean that he can’t spend time developing his game and becoming a very useful player in the NBA.
While the media frenzy surrounding Bronny has mostly been due to his family ties, there is no denying that his name also holds a lot of value, and the NBA itself will want to capitalize on that.
The Lakers’ upcoming season-opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves is where many expect Bronny and LeBron James to share the court together as teammates in an official NBA game. And there is no doubt that the inevitable moment will be a big drawing factor for fans and analysts tuning into the game.
But for now, once again, we must remember that Bronny is a young player who isn’t quite ready for the NBA. And rather than criticize him for it, we should understand that, and allow him to develop his game in the G-League.
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