Bronny James ready to go between Lakers and G League after trip

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Los Angeles Lakers rookie Bronny James is expected to transfer on the personnel shuttle from Monday to Nov. 6 and then begin moving between the lively roster and the franchise’s South Bay G partner League, although guardian JJ Redick stated those plans can simply be negotiated.

The Lakers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves in Tuesday’s season opener, making history when LeBron James and Bronny James became the first father-son duo to play in an NBA game together. On Friday night against the Phoenix Suns, Bronny suited up but did not play in the Lakers’ 123-116 victory at Crypto.com Arena.

The Lakers host the Sacramento Kings on Saturday before traveling to Phoenix, Cleveland, Toronto, Detroit and Memphis.

“Our plans are always fluid and based on real time,” Redick said before Friday’s game. “I think we have two guys dressing today that we haven’t dressed since yesterday.

“Bronny’s plan to continue between the Lakers and South Bay has always been the plan since last one. [General manager] Steal [Pelinka] and I have mentioned it. LeBron mentioned that.”

LeBron spent 11 of his first 21 years in the league with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was about to begin his second season with the Cavaliers when Bronny was born on Oct. 6, 2004, in Akron, Ohio, which was a momentous occasion when the Jameses returned there on Wednesday.

The G League draft is Saturday and the team’s training camps run through Nov. 7. The South Bay Lakers begin their G League season on November 9 against the Salt Lake City Stars.

As Bronny James and his representative, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, discussed development throughout their pre-draft process with NBA teams, sources told ESPN that the G’s game concept League was welcome. Those sources said Paul advocated for a standard contract, not a two-way deal, before the draft, while making clear that he and Bronny, selected by the Lakers in the second round with the 55th pick, were wide open. to the proposal. development process.

When LeBron made his first comments about Bronny’s rookie season plans at media day last month, he talked about how in sync the Lakers are with their G League affiliate.

“Simply [looking forward to] You can tell he continues to grow as a basketball player, whether he’s here with us or if he’s not doing well with the G League team, and he continues to get better and better,” LeBron said. “His process is to put the work in. and recover and higher, identical to residual people. And we have to hold him accountable, and he’s starting to hold us accountable. And if we all do this, we all recover, because we are all one team. We are a reflection of the South Bay; “South Bay is a mirror image of the people.”

It is typical for players chosen in the mid-to-late second round to spend time in the G League, gaining training, game reps and structure in their respective teams’ programs. During the 2023-24 season, 23 of the 28 players selected in the second round of the 2023 NBA draft spent time in the G League.

Pelinka, who is also the Lakers’ vice president of basketball operations, and Redick have discussed creating the right synergies between the Lakers and their South Bay team.

Redick, who was hired with no prior head coaching experience in part to sell his vision of establishing an elite player development program for the Lakers, has said Bronny’s track record will provide the first opportunity to implement the approach.

“For us, prioritizing player development, we look at Bronny as one, because of his lower level feel, athleticism, point-of-attack defender, shooting, passing, there’s an accumulation that I love.” his sport,” Redick said in July. “And as we develop our player development program comprehensively, he is looking for an excellent opportunity to become a professional NBA player.”

South Bay also has a new coach this season, with Los Angeles signing Zach Guthrie as a current winger to replace Dane Johnson.

Associated Press data was affected by this document.