After his best game of the Summer League, Bronny James showed that he can hang with some of the game’s top young prospects. Still, according to The Athletic’s Jovan Buha, there’s a chance he could spend some time with the South Bay Lakers next season depending on two major factors.
“The Lakers are still determining their plan for Bronny next season, according to team sources,” Buha wrote. “He is expected to play part of the season in the G League with the South Bay Lakers, though how much time he spends there will be decided by the context of the Lakers’ season and how Bronny continues to develop. He’s willing to play in the G League as much as the Lakers want.”
As the 55th pick in the draft, it would be perfectly normal and reasonable to send Bronny to the G-league. While he has shown potential in the past, he needs to keep developing his game to have any chance of building a long-term career.
While James is almost guaranteed to experience a stint in the G-League, how much time he spends there is up to the Lakers to decide. If the Lakers are struggling and not competitive next season, they could throw Bronny out there early to get him valuable experience and allow him to play with his dad.
But if the Lakers are competitive or Bronny struggles to adjust to NBA action, he could see an extended stay in the G-League to ease along his growth and ensure that he’s set up to succeed when he gets the call to move up.
With a four-year, $7.9 million contract, the Lakers are committed to Bronny either way and this will be a long process with him. So far, the kid has shown great promise on the court, even amid poor shooting stretches. He’s a natural at the game and knows how to read the floor like a longtime veteran.
While he’s still young, inexperienced, and prone to mistakes, Bronny is making a great effort to be known as a team player and he’s willing to put in the work to sustain a long and successful career. Yesterday, he had arguably his best game yet as a Laker, with 12 points on 45% shooting in a win against the Hawks in Summer League.
At just 19, James Jr. has plenty of time to find his place in the league and the Lakers intend to do everything they can to equip him with the tools he needs to succeed. Whether it’s a stint in the G-League or some time on the court with his dad, Bronny will have multiple ways to adjust to the NBA game and there is no rush for him to be a contributing player right away.
As for the Lakers, only time will tell how competitive they will be next season but Bronny James will be a major focal point of their efforts and if they can just unlock the peak version of his game, it could set them up for prosperity in the future.
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