LeBron James is a true veteran of the NBA. He is entering Year 20 and is one of the longest-tenured active players in the NBA. Considering he has also played the game at the highest level for so long and is arguably one of the greatest to ever do it, endorsements of talent by him can mean a lot.
His Los Angeles Lakers are in a tough spot with their roster. Due to the weight of the contracts of LeBron, Anthony Davis, and most importantly, Russell Westbrook, the Lakers cannot sign players for anything outside the minimum and mid-level exception. The MLE has already gone to Lonnie Walker IV, so the Lakers need to look to the youth to bolster their roster.
That is where Scotty Pippen Jr. comes in, one of the Lakers stars at the Summer League. Pippen Jr. bears a famous last name but hasn’t shown the promise of his father just yet. But LeBron is tapping the young Pippen for big things, retweeting a Pippen jr. highlight reel and saying that he has a bright future.
The kid has a bright future!! 💜💛 https://t.co/YobiiXICsH
— LeBron James (@KingJames) July 21, 2022
Pippen Jr. may not have the same utility in the NBA but is a good prospect the Lakers have for the next season. His impact in the regular season may be minimal on this roster, but the Lakers are known to develop rough gems every once in a while. If Pippen jr. can make the most of this opportunity, he may rise through the feeble LA rotation through the season.
The Lakers need more talent outside the talented young wing that may not be NBA-ready. They are cash strapped in the market and don’t have enough assets to make moves to round out their rotation. Ideally, Russell Westbrook gets traded and brings some more bodies to the Lakers.
Pippen Jr. can have a breakout season given the opportunity the Lakers can present to him. Learning under LeBron isn’t bad for him either, so the two-way contract can open the door for big things in the future for
