NBA Rumors: The Los Angeles Lakers' plan for Bronny James might be beginning to be revealed.
When Bronny James entered the game in the Los Angeles Lakers' season-opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves, I can't imagine anyone truly envisioned it was a sign of things to come. Instead, I truly believe it was more so the culmination of LeBron James' dream after his son was drafted into the NBA. That said, after Bronny didn't play in the second game of the season, you'd imagine that the true plan for him will begin to be unraveled soon.
If the recent reports are any indication, that could be coming sooner than we think. When the Lakers return from a five-game road trip, which begins Monday, the plan is for Bronny to join the team's G League squad. Considering that Bronny is unlikely to get playing time on the Lakers much this season, it would make the most sense for him to spend as much time in the G League as he can.
Now that the Lakers have gotten the noise of LeBron and Bronny playing together out of the way, it makes the most sense for Los Angeles to prioritize his development.
A long road of development may be ahead for Bronny James
Even though the Lakers did use a second-round pick to select Bronny in the 2024 NBA Draft, I don't think anyone in the organization believed that he could contribute this season. At best, Bronny was always considered to be a long developmental project. There's no guarantee that he'll develop into a rotation player down the line but the Lakers were at least willing to give him the opportunity for that to happen.
Part of that process begins with stints in the G League this season. That's why it shouldn't be all that surprising to see Bronny jumping back and forth. In the long run, this is probably the best path forward for both Bronny and the Lakers.
For all his criticisms, there are some tools that Bronny possesses that could eventually translate into a useful role for a team down the line. But, at this point, we're talking 2-3 years into his development depending on how seriously he approaches the game. The good news is that Bronny is still just 20 years old and there should be no rush in forcing him into a specific role just because of the name on the back of his jersey.
From all indications, the plan for Bronny is full-time development. That's exactly what it should be.