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When the Los Angeles Lakers chosen Bronny James within the 2024 NBA draft, there was an expectation that he would get totally different therapy than a typical rookie.
A couple of weeks into his NBA and G League profession, ESPN’s Shams Charania defined how James is not a “regular, on a regular basis” G League participant.
“Proceed to maintain him across the lively roster as a lot as they’ll, but additionally he’ll be enjoying G League house video games for proper now,” Charania mentioned. “He will be shuttling backwards and forwards, practising with the G League staff, practising with the Lakers, being on the Lakers’ lively roster, enjoying within the G League house video games. Bronny James is not simply your regular, on a regular basis G League participant for all the explanations we simply talked about. His title is Bronny James and there are some issues with him that simply go together with it… There is a totally different degree of fanfare when he is on the street for these G League video games.”
Pat McAfee @PatMcAfeeShow
“The Lakers are gonna proceed to maintain Bronny James across the lively roster as a lot as they’ll..
He is gonna be enjoying G League house video games for proper now” ~ @ShamsCharania #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/T60b805rBT
Charania additionally famous that James ultimately enjoying street video games within the G League remains to be a chance and broke down Los Angeles’ thought course of for shuttling him backwards and forwards.
“I do not assume the door is essentially utterly shut on him enjoying in these street video games because the G League season goes on, however proper now, that’s the plan that the Lakers have laid out,” he mentioned. “They need him to proceed to shuttle backwards and forwards, spend as a lot time on the lively roster as potential.
“It is extremely typical for a second-round choose to shuttle backwards and forwards with the G League, however it will be atypical for a second-round choose to doubtlessly simply solely spend time within the G League. … He is obtained three years assured on his deal, he is an NBA participant that is going to spend time within the G League.”
Up to now, James has appeared in six of the Lakers’ 13 video games, averaging 2.7 minutes per sport. He is scored simply 4 factors up to now—two in opposition to the Cleveland Cavaliers and two in opposition to the Memphis Grizzlies.
He is performed two video games for the South Bay Lakers, averaging 5.0 factors, 3.0 assists, 2.5 rebounds, a steal and a block per sport whereas enjoying practically half-hour per contest. His effectivity has been regarding, as he is taking pictures 21.1 p.c from the sector and has but to make a three-pointer.
South Bay has a street matchup on Wednesday however may have three straight house video games to shut out the November slate. Getting extra video games beneath his belt appears instrumental for James amid his struggles to start out the yr.
It is common for second-rounders to spend most of their rookie yr within the G League. However to earn a full-time spot on the Lakers’ NBA roster, Bronny must develop into extra productive transferring ahead.