Bronny James is a Los Angeles Laker.
With the fifty fifth choose in Thursday’s second spherical of the NBA draft, the Lakers chosen the previous USC freshman and son of all-time main NBA scorer LeBron James.
What’s Bronny’s slot in L.A.? What a part of his recreation most wants to enhance on the subsequent stage? If, as anticipated, LeBron both opts in to his ultimate 12 months or indicators a brand new cope with the Lakers, in what number of video games will father and son take the courtroom collectively in 2024-25?
Our NBA Insiders are breaking down the most important questions surrounding Bronny’s future within the league, together with how the 6-foot-2 guard can carve out a profitable NBA profession.
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Bronny James’ match with the Lakers is _____.
Jeff Borzello: By design. In actuality, he was by no means actually going to finish up wherever else apart from alongside his father with the Lakers. It is a touchdown spot that may include anticipation, expectations and ample stress — from the skin, no less than. However we additionally need to acknowledge that Bronny himself is not going to be strolling into Los Angeles anticipating to be handed the keys to the offense. He’ll be affected person, he’ll purchase into the method, and it would not be shocking to see him spend time within the G League after getting some minutes alongside LeBron.
Chris Herring: One thing we’ll have to observe. It is extremely laborious to research the match with out understanding what kind of professional Bronny will grow to be, or the place he’d even place on the workforce’s depth chart. (For context: Jalen Hood-Schifino, a guard who bought taken within the first spherical final summer season, logged simply 109 minutes as a rookie.) And that is greater than OK. I believe most of us can have a look at the choose for what it’s: On a base stage, this can be a probability to see a father and son share the courtroom for the primary time in an NBA recreation. As teammates, no much less. If it develops right into a higher match than that, it will likely be exceptional. However even when it does not, it is nonetheless exceptional in its personal manner.
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Dave McMenamin: Strain packed. The nice factor is, Bronny has realized his objective to make it to the NBA. The sophisticated half is that he’ll proceed to need to exist below his father’s substantial shadow as he makes an attempt to make a reputation for himself as knowledgeable. There was sure to be a highlight on Bronny wherever he ended up if he made it to the league, however there shall be an exponentially bigger one taking part in with the Lakers as LeBron closes out his profession.
Ohm Youngmisuk: Maybe essentially the most scrutinized ever for a second-round choose. Ever since LeBron mentioned this as a chance, it appeared inevitable that father and son would discover a strategy to play collectively. Bronny will get to be taught and develop below the tutelage of his father. However on the opposite finish, no second-round choose will ever be scrutinized the way in which Bronny shall be because of who he’s, who his father is and the glamorous Lakers franchise. At summer season league, his would be the most anticipated and watched Lakers rookie debut since Lonzo Ball’s in 2017.
Bronny was drafted too excessive, too low or simply proper at No. 55?
Youngmisuk: NBA groups can do a lot worse than take an opportunity on a guard who is wise, desires to defend, has the work ethic to grow to be a greater participant and shooter and is an unselfish pass-first participant. At USC, James was beloved by his teammates. Contemplating that second-round picks could be a crapshoot, James is a worthy gamble for the Lakers at No. 55.
Herring: For a number of causes — his cardiac arrest that shortened his freshman season amongst them — it is laborious to know the place he ought to have been drafted. He’d lengthy been billed as a late second-rounder or a attainable undrafted free agent signing, and people kinds of gamers are sometimes ones groups are taking fliers on anyway. The truth that he ended up being taken by the Lakers, after agent Wealthy Paul known as round to inform groups to not take him, will merely amplify the questions round him. It is now as much as James to take advantage of the prospect he’ll get.
McMenamin: Exhausting to say something different than simply proper. Contemplating his school manufacturing was inconclusive at greatest in proving his NBA potential, an important factor for Bronny was discovering a workforce to imagine in him sufficient to speculate a choose on him. Now that his foot is within the door, Bronny’s work ethic and growth will decide if the groups that handed on him will find yourself wanting clever or misguided in the long term.
Borzello: He was price taking a flier on. Most will say it is too excessive based mostly on school manufacturing. However we simply noticed AJ Johnson — who was ranked decrease than Bronny popping out of highschool — chosen within the first spherical after averaging 2.8 factors in Australia and Pacome Dadiet picked at No. 25 after placing up 6.8 factors per recreation in Germany. It is not unprecedented to see groups take an opportunity on NBA pedigree and potential within the late second spherical.
What’s one aspect Bronny should sharpen on the subsequent stage?
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The highlights Bronny James is bringing to the Lakers
Try the highest moments from Bronny James’ time at USC as he joins up with LeBron and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Borzello: Even when Bronny was at his greatest at the highschool stage, he did not constantly reveal a capability to create off the dribble, beating a defender 1-on-1 and making a play for himself or a teammate. He has proven explosiveness in transition when he has a path to the rim, and he has been capable of transfer the ball throughout the offense, however being a playmaker within the half courtroom is an space for enchancment.
Herring: It might be an enormous growth for him to develop an efficient floater. You may see the makings of an excellent shooter from the perimeter, and he hit higher than 40% of his pull-up jumpers at USC. However ultimately, if opponents begin to shut out on his jumpers, he’ll want to have the ability to punish them by scoring within the paint — one thing that is not the best factor to do at his 6-foot-2 peak. Including a dependable floater might be an enormous device for his recreation.
McMenamin: Partaking his motor extra usually. Any top-line evaluation of Bronny as an NBA prospect factors to his elite athleticism on the plus aspect and his relative lack of dimension as a minus. Explosive exercise — working the courtroom, taking part in bodily and related wing protection, and making performs above the rim — is a method he can restrict his peak drawback. One expertise evaluator who noticed Bronny in the course of the pre-draft course of advised ESPN that the guard’s intensive soccer expertise rising up may need brought about him to unknowingly tempo himself on the courtroom after being accustomed to taking part in on extra expansive soccer pitches. Former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas, who labored out with Bronny in L.A. lately, backed up this remark, saying on the “Gil’s Enviornment” podcast: “He has the Bugatti engine, however he desires to drive the velocity restrict.”
Youngmisuk: James has the shape and work ethic to grow to be a greater 3-point shooter after hitting simply 26.7% from behind the arc at USC. Understand that James was making his manner again from struggling cardiac arrest throughout a summer season exercise and did not have an offseason to arrange. As soon as again, he needed to ramp up on a strict minutes restriction, and people got here in brief stints through which he had a tough time discovering a rhythm. James should shoot with confidence and accuracy on the subsequent stage.
Bronny’s success within the NBA shall be decided by _____.
Youngmisuk: His potential to defend. James is not as fast as many NBA level guards or as tall as NBA capturing guards. However James’ NBA calling card shall be as a 3-and-D position participant who makes successful performs. He works laborious on the defensive finish and should keep in entrance of guards and defend at a excessive stage. His basketball IQ stands out. He seems to make the best play and the best cross, virtually to a fault. He’s an athletic finisher however will want that agility to make performs on protection — like when he produced a spotlight chase-down block, harking back to his previous man.
2024 NBA draft recap
• Spherical 2 evaluation for 28 picks: Trades!• Bronny’s match, future with Lakers, LeBron• Spherical 1 winners, questions (ESPN+)• Draftcast: Intel on 30 first-round picks• Hawks draft Zaccharie Risacher at No. 1
Herring: How properly the Lakers develop him. Clearly Bronny comes from a notable background, and we are able to think about he’ll put the work in. However let’s be sincere right here: How properly a participant develops has loads to do with the place he is creating, too — and that is one facet of Klutch CEO Wealthy Paul’s considering that was at all times laborious to argue with. He was at all times specific about the place Bronny landed, and, as such, he ended up in Los Angeles, the place his dad has a strong voice within the group. All of that stated: It might have been fascinating to see him find yourself with one of many golf equipment — Miami, San Antonio, Toronto — which are identified for excelling in participant growth.
McMenamin: The participant growth program in L.A. James already proved his admirable work ethic and unquestioned dedication when he recovered from a severe cardiac incident and joined his USC teammates in recreation motion midseason. However let’s be sincere: He nonetheless wants much more work to achieve his objective of being an influence participant on the following stage and never simply somebody taking on a roster spot on the top of the bench.
Borzello: Persistence and participant growth. Previous to final summer season, Bronny was being projected as a possible first-round choose — however making a right away influence and contributing from day one within the NBA wasn’t the expectation. And that was earlier than he suffered a cardiac arrest throughout observe final summer season. He did not make his school debut till December and was on a minutes restriction for a couple of weeks; he began simply six school video games. On the plus aspect, Bronny is not going to be requested to begin within the NBA early. It’ll take time — however his price of enchancment at the highschool stage paints an image of somebody who shall be affected person with the event course of.
Bronny’s NBA ceiling is _____.
Youngmisuk: James has talked about Jrue Vacation, Derrick White and Davion Mitchell as gamers he’d liken his recreation to. Vacation and White are good gamers for the rookie to emulate, as James desires to influence successful like Vacation and White did for the reigning champs. If James can defend like these three however have the ability to hit the open 3 and do all of the small however impactful issues that Vacation and White do on the glass and on protection, he could have an extended profession.
Herring: Nonetheless unknown. He landed with a stable workforce within the Lakers, who, given his dad’s age, need to win large proper now. That is usually not conducive for youthful gamers who’re searching for alternatives to develop, notably second-rounders. Nonetheless, I believe the hope ought to be that Bronny can in some unspecified time in the future develop extra playmaking and capturing potential to the place he can grow to be a rotation participant. His willingness to compete on the defensive finish is an apparent power. However it’s an enormous leap to go from a truncated season at USC to the NBA at his dimension. Let’s examine the man play first. Both manner, he’ll want time to develop, and I genuinely hope he will get that chance.
Borzello: I do not assume it is a stretch to assume he could be a rotation participant inside a couple of years. His ground is a succesful 3-and-D guard with superior really feel for the sport who can distribute and run an offense. If he improves off the bounce and as a playmaker, his ceiling will get greater. Bronny has already demonstrated he is able to shopping for into a job and will not count on to be a go-to man — or something even near it — on the NBA or G League stage anytime quickly. He dedicated to USC when it already had No. 1 recruit Isaiah Collier and all-league guard Boogie Ellis within the backcourt; he is not anticipating to stroll into an enormous position.
McMenamin: Reasonably than what his ceiling is, let’s speak about what his aspiration ought to be — a rotation participant on a successful workforce. If he can grow to be that, it is going to unlock every little thing he might ask for as a professional by way of longevity and compensation and the success of with the ability to apply what seems to be his most NBA-ready talent in his preternatural basketball IQ. And if he’s a contributor on a winner, he’ll have the ability to carve out his personal identify other than his father’s as he introduced to the world as his objective in the course of the pre-draft mix in Chicago.
What number of video games will LeBron and Bronny play collectively in 2024-25?
Youngmisuk: Ten or fewer. My expectation is Bronny will are available throughout blowouts initially. What number of minutes will he truly play collectively together with his father on the ground? These situations possible shall be uncommon this season because the Lakers get adjusted to new coach JJ Redick’s system whereas attempting to win now. The main target ought to be on Bronny creating his recreation and studying.
2024 NBA offseason
We have every little thing it’s good to put together for a busy summer season within the NBA.
• Pelton: Publish-draft grades for all 30 groups• NBA Insiders: Bronny’s match with the Lakers• Marks: What each workforce ought to do that offseason• Means-too-early Energy Rankings: How groups stand• Bontemps: Monitoring NBA teaching carousel• Offseason calendar | All free brokers
Herring: 5 or fewer, if solely as a result of there typically would not be any overlap between LeBron’s stints as a starter and Bronny’s as what I think about shall be a clean-up man later in video games which have basically been determined. (The preseason video games can be a incredible, low-stakes alternative.) I do not assume you will need to work to persuade LeBron to play these garbage-time minutes, given the circumstances. However he’ll nonetheless be 40 in December, so it might be one thing of an damage threat to do it for longer stretches.
Borzello: Round 5. They will not play vital minutes collectively in most video games, a few minutes towards the top of halves or video games at greatest. However I’d think about there is a line of considering to get the 2 of them on the ground collectively early within the season a couple of occasions after which have Bronny play so much within the G League.
McMenamin: I am positive LeBron would inform you he is not targeted a lot on the video games performed, however all of the practices, bus rides, airplane journeys, dinners on the street and misplaced time he has given to the sport that he’ll have the ability to get again together with his son. They will share the courtroom collectively in recreation motion, in fact, however let’s not miss the massive image right here.