The Los Angeles Lakers assigned Bronny James to their G League affiliate in the South Bay, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
James is expected to join South Bay for its game with Salt Lake City on Saturday. However, he will be on the Lakers’ roster for their matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday.
The Lakers today assigned Bronny James to their NBA G League affiliate, South Bay, where he is expected to make his debut against Salt Lake City on Saturday, sources said. James will be on the Lakers roster against the 76ers on Friday, then head back to the South Bay. https://t.co/Bj1zP5YO7I
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) 7 November 2024
The plan is for James to split time between South Bay and Los Angeles, with him playing home games for the G League squad and being available for the Lakers when South Bay is on the road, according to Charania.
James moving between the NBA and G-League was expected after the Lakers returned from their five-game road trip, which included a game with the Cleveland Cavaliers, which Bronny’s father, LeBron James, surely wanted his son to play to create a special a moment for which the James family.
Bronny played five minutes in the Lakers’ 134-110 loss to Cleveland, scoring two points (on his first career NBA basket) with two assists and one steal and a very helpful layup.
“It was crazy,” said Bronny, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “A lot more than I definitely anticipated. But it’s all love. It was crazy. It was a beautiful moment. The chants really got me. I was honest, but I felt it and it felt really good, especially coming from here. .”
LeBron played with the Cavs for two separate shifts totaling 11 seasons. He was the number 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. During his time with the Cavs, LeBron won Rookie of the Year, two NBA MVP awards and the 2015-16 NBA championship. Bronny was born shortly before LeBron’s second season in Cleveland in 2004.
Appearing in four games with the Lakers, Bronny averaged one point and three minutes per game. He was the Lakers’ second-round pick (No. 55 overall) of the 2024 NBA Draft. Bronny signed a four-year, $7.9 million contract, a standard deal that agent Rich Paul negotiated rather than the two-way contract under which prospects splitting time between the NBA and G League typically play.
