Bronny James’ fit and future with the Lakers
Jun 27, 2024, 06:49 PM ET Bronny James is a Los Angeles Laker.With the 55th pick in Thursday’s 2nd round of the NBA draft, the Lakers picked the previous USC freshman and kid of all-time leading NBA scorer LeBron James.What is Bronny’s
fit in L.A.? What part of his game most needs to improve at the next level? If, as anticipated, LeBron either opts in to his final year or signs a brand-new deal with the Lakers, in how many games will daddy and kid take the court together in 2024-25? Our NBA insiders are breaking down the most significant questions surrounding Bronny’s future in the league, consisting of how the 6-foot-2 guard can carve out a successful NBA career.NBA draft: All 58 choices | Grading all 30 groups | Trades Bronny James’fit with the Lakers is _____. Jeff Borzello: By design. In truth, he was never ever really going to wind up anywhere else besides alongside his
father with the Lakers. It’s a landing area that will feature anticipation, expectations and sufficient pressure– from the outdoors, a minimum of. However we likewise need to acknowledge that Bronny himself isn’t going to be walking into Los Angeles anticipating to be handed the secrets to the offense. He’ll be patient, he’ll purchase into the process, and it would not be unexpected to see him hang around in the G League after getting some minutes alongside LeBron.Chris Herring: Something we’ll need to enjoy. It’s extremely tough to analyze the fit without knowing what sort of pro Bronny will become, or where he
‘d even place on the team’s depth chart. (For context: Jalen Hood-Schifino, a guard who got taken in the first round last summer season, logged simply 109 minutes as a rookie. )And that’s more than OK. I think the majority of us can take a look at the choice for what it is: On a base level, this is an opportunity to see a daddy and child share the court for the very first time in an NBA game. As colleagues, no less. If it becomes a higher fit than that, it will be exceptional. However even if it does not, it’s still exceptional in its own way.Editor’s Picks
1 Related Dave McMenamin: Pressure loaded. The fantastic thing is, Bronny has actually understood his objective to make it to the NBA. The complicated part is that he will continue to need to exist under his dad’s considerable shadow as he attempts to make a name for himself as a professional. There was bound to be a spotlight on Bronny any place he ended up if he made it to the league, but there will be an exponentially bigger one playing with the Lakers as LeBron closes out his career.Ohm Youngmisuk:
Maybe the most scrutinized ever for a second-round pick. Ever since LeBron discussed this as a possibility, it seemed inescapable that daddy and child would find a method to play together. Bronny gets to discover and grow under the tutelage of his father. But on the other end, no second-round choice will ever be scrutinized the way Bronny will be because of who he is, who his daddy is and the glamorous Lakers franchise. At summer season league, his will be the most expected and watched Lakers rookie debut since Lonzo Ball’s in 2017. Bronny was drafted expensive, too low or just right at No. 55? Youngmisuk: NBA teams can do much even worse than gamble on a guard who
is smart, wishes to defend, has the work principles to end up being a much better player and shooter and is an unselfish pass-first player. At USC, James was cherished by his teammates. Considering that second-round picks can be a crapshoot, James is a worthwhile gamble for the Lakers at No. 55. Herring: For numerous reasons– his heart attack that reduced his freshman season among them– it’s tough to understand where he ought to have been drafted. He ‘d long been billed as a late second-rounder or a possible undrafted free agent finalizing, and those sorts of players are often ones groups are taking fliers on anyway. The reality that he wound up being taken by the Lakers, after representative Abundant Paul called around to inform teams not to take him, will merely magnify the concerns around him. It’s now as much as James to take advantage of the chance he’ll get.McMenamin: Hard to say anything aside from perfect. Considering his college production was undetermined at best in proving his NBA capacity, the most important thing for Bronny was discovering a team to believe in him enough to invest a tease him. Now that his foot is in the door, Bronny’s work principles and advancement will identify if the groups that handed down him will end up looking wise or misdirected in the long run.Borzello: He deserved taking a flier on. Most will state it’s too high based on college production. However we simply saw AJ Johnson– who was ranked lower than Bronny coming out of high school– chosen in the preliminary after averaging 2.8 points in Australia and Pacome Dadiet picked at No. 25 after installing 6.8 points per game in Germany. It’s not extraordinary to see groups gamble on NBA pedigree and capacity in the late second round.What is one aspect Bronny must hone at the next level?play 1:14 The highlights Bronny James is bringing to the Lakers Take a look at the leading moments from Bronny James’time at USC as he associates LeBron and the Los Angeles Lakers.Borzello: Even when Bronny was at his best at the high school level,
he didn’t regularly demonstrate an ability to develop off the
dribble, beating
a defender 1-on-1 and making a play for himself or a teammate
. He has actually revealed explosiveness in shift when he has a course to the rim, and he has had the ability to move the ball within the offense, however being a playmaker in the half court is an area for improvement.Herring: It would be a huge development for him to establish a reliable floater. You can see the makings of an excellent shooter from the perimeter, and he hit much better than 40%of his pull-up jumpers at USC. But eventually, if opponents begin to close out on his jumpers, he’ll need to be able to penalize them by scoring in the paint– something that isn’t the easiest thing to do at
his 6-foot-2 height. Including a trusted floater could be a massive tool for his game.McMenamin: Engaging his motor more frequently. Any top-line analysis of Bronny as an NBA prospect points to his elite athleticism on the plus side and his relative absence of size as a minus. Explosive activity– running the court, playing physical and linked wing defense, and making plays above the rim– is one way he can restrict his height disadvantage. One talent critic who observed Bronny during the pre-draft process informed ESPN that the guard’s extensive soccer experience maturing might have caused him to unwittingly speed himself on the court after being accustomed to playing on more extensive soccer pitches. Previous NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas, who worked out with Bronny in L.A. over the last few years, backed up this observation, stating on the “Gil’s Arena “podcast:”He has the Bugatti engine, however he wants to drive the speed limitation.”Youngmisuk: James has the form and work principles to become a better 3-point shooter after hitting just 26.7 %from behind the arc at USC. Keep in mind that James was making his way back from suffering heart attack during a summer exercise and didn’t have an offseason to prepare. Once back, he needed to increase on a rigorous minutes constraint, and those came in brief stints in which he had a tough time discovering a rhythm. James will need to shoot with confidence and
precision at the next level.Bronny’s success in the NBA will be figured out by _____. Youngmisuk: His capability to safeguard. James isn’t as fast as lots of NBA point guards or as tall as NBA shooting guards. However James ‘NBA calling card will be as a 3-and-D role player who makes winning plays. He works hard on the protective end and will have to stay in front of guards and safeguard at a high level. His basketball IQ stands out. He seeks to make the right play and the right pass, practically to a fault. He is an athletic finisher however will require that dexterity to make plays on defense– like when he produced a highlight chase-down block, reminiscent of his old man.2024 NBA draft recap – Round 2 analysis for 28 picks: Trades! – Bronny’s fit, future with Lakers, LeBron – Round 1 winners, questions(ESPN+)- Draftcast: Intel on 30 first-round choices – Hawks draft Zaccharie Risacher at No. 1 Herring: How well the Lakers establish him. Clearly Bronny comes from a notable background, and we can envision he’ll put the work in. But let’s be truthful here: How well a player develops has plenty to do with where he’s establishing,
too– which’s one aspect of Klutch CEO Rich
Paul’s believing that was constantly tough to argue with. He was always specific about where Bronny
landed, and, as such, he ended up in Los Angeles, where his papa has an effective voice in the organization
. All of that stated: It would have been interesting to see him wind up with among the clubs– Miami, San Antonio, Toronto– that are known for excelling in player development.McMenamin: The player advancement program in L.A. James currently proved his admirable work principles and undoubted commitment when he recovered from a serious heart occurrence and joined his USC colleagues in game action midseason. However let’s be truthful: He still requires a lot more work to reach his goal of being an impact player on the next level and not simply someone taking up a lineup spot on completion of the bench.Borzello: Perseverance and player development. Prior to last summer season, Bronny was being projected as a potential first-round choice– however making
an immediate effect and contributing from day one in the NBA wasn’t the expectation. And that was before he suffered a heart attack during practice last summer season. He didn’t make his college launching until December and was on a minutes limitation for a few weeks; he began just 6 college games. On the plus side, Bronny isn’t going to be asked to start in the NBA early. It’s going to take time– but his rate of improvement at the high school level paints a picture of someone who will be client with the advancement procedure. Bronny James enhanced his draft stock throughout the 2024 integrate in Chicago. (Image by Jeff Haynes/NBAE by means of Getty Images)Bronny’s NBA ceiling is _____. Youngmisuk: James has discussed Jrue Vacation, Derrick White and Davion Mitchell as players he ‘d liken his game to. Holiday and White are perfect players for the rookie to emulate, as James wishes to affect winning like Vacation and White did for the ruling champs. If James can protect like those 3 however have the ability to strike the open 3 and do all the little but impactful things that Vacation and White do on the glass and on defense, he will have a long career.Herring: Still unknown. He landed with a solid team in the Lakers, who, provided his dad’s age, want to win huge right now. That’s often not conducive for more youthful players who are trying to find chances to develop, particularly second-rounders. Still, I believe the hope must be that Bronny can at some point establish more playmaking and shooting ability to where he can end up being a rotation player. His willingness to complete on the protective end is an apparent strength. But it’s an enormous leap to go from a truncated season at USC to the NBA at his size. Let’s see the guy play initially. In any case, he’ll need time to develop
, and I genuinely hope he gets that opportunity.Borzello: I do not believe it’s a stretch to think he can be a rotation player within a few years. His flooring is a capable 3-and-D guard with advanced feel for the game who can disperse and run an offense. If he enhances off the bounce and as a playmaker, his ceiling gets higher. Bronny has already demonstrated he can buying into a role and will not anticipate to be a go-to guy– or anything even near to it– at the NBA or G League level anytime soon. He devoted to USC when it already had No. 1 hire Isaiah Collier and all-league guard Boogie Ellis in the backcourt; he’s not anticipating to stroll into a huge role.McMenamin: Rather than what his ceiling is, let’s talk about what his goal ought to be– a rotation player on a winning team. If he can become that, it will unlock whatever he could ask for as a pro in terms of longevity and payment and the satisfaction of being able to apply what appears to be his most NBA-ready ability in his preternatural basketball IQ. And if he is a contributor on a winner, he’ll have the ability to carve out his own name apart from his father’s as he revealed to the world as his objective during the pre-draft integrate in Chicago.How many games will LeBron and Bronny play together in 2024-25? Youngmisuk: 10 or fewer. My expectation is Bronny will can be found in during blowouts at first.
How many minutes will he actually play together with his father on the floor? Those circumstances likely will be rare this season as the Lakers get adapted to brand-new coach JJ Redick’s system while trying to win now. The focus needs to be on Bronny developing his game and discovering.2024 NBA offseason We’ve got whatever you require to prepare for a busy summer season in the NBA. – Pelton: Post-draft grades for all 30 groups – NBA Insiders
: Bronny’s fit with the Lakers – Marks: What every group should do this offseason – Way-too-early Power Rankings: How teams stand – Bontemps: Tracking NBA training carousel – Offseason calendar|All complimentary representatives Herring: 5 or fewer, if just due to the fact that there usually wouldn’t be any overlap in between LeBron’s stints as a starter and Bronny’s as what I think of will be a clean-up guy later in games that have actually essentially been chosen.
(The preseason games would be a fantastic, low-stakes chance.)I do not think you’ll need to work to persuade LeBron to play those garbage-time minutes, given the situations. However he’ll still be 40 in December, so it might be something of an injury threat to do it for longer stretches.Borzello: Around 5.
They won’t play significant minutes together in most games, a couple of minutes toward completion of halves or games at finest. However I would envision there’s a line of believing to get the 2 of them on the floor together early
in the season a few times and after that have Bronny play a lot in the G League.McMenamin: I’m sure LeBron would tell you he is
n’t focused a lot on the games played, however all the practices, bus trips, aircraft journeys, dinners on the road and wasted time he has actually offered to the game that he’ll have the ability to get back with his son. They’ll share the court together in game action, naturally, but let’s not miss the big picture here.