The Los Angeles Lakers have assigned Bronny James to their G League affiliate in the South Bay. reports ESPN’s Shams Charania.
James is expected to join South Bay on Saturday for the game against Salt Lake City, which is already sold out. However, he will be on the Lakers’ roster for their matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday (10 p.m. ET, ESPN).
The Lakers today assigned Bronny James to their NBA G League affiliate, South Bay, where he is expected to debut Saturday against Salt Lake City, sources said. James will be on the Lakers vs. roster on Friday. 76ers and then returns to the South Bay. https://t.co/Bj1zP5YO7I
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 7, 2024
The plan is for James to split time between South Bay and Los Angeles, playing home games for the G League team and being available for the Lakers when South Bay is on the road. according to Charania.
James’ move between the NBA and the G League was expected as soon as the Lakers returned from their five-game road trip, which included a game with the Cleveland Cavaliers that Bronny’s father, LeBron James, made sure his son would play in for a special create a moment for him. the James family.
Bronny played five minutes in the Lakers’ 134–110 loss to Cleveland, scoring two points (in his first career NBA basketball) with two assists and one steal and a very supportive home crowd.
“It was crazy,” Bronny said, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “A lot more than I expected for sure. But it’s all love. It was crazy. It was a nice moment. The chants really touched me. I had a straight face, but I felt it and it felt really good, especially because I came from here.”
LeBron played two separate stints with the Cavs, totaling eleven seasons. He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft out of 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 2015-2016 NBA Championship. Bronny was born shortly before LeBron’s second season in Cleveland in 2004.
Bronny played in four games with the Lakers, averaging 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 contract worth $7.9 million, a standard deal negotiated by agent Rich Paul instead of the two-way contract that prospects typically sign splitting time between the NBA and the G League.
