Bronny James’ Summer League Struggles May Send Him To G-League

LeBron James may have to wait to play with his son.

While the NBA superstar was overseas preparing for the Olympic games in Paris, his son, Bronny James, began his NBA career at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Bronny, drafted with the #55 pick in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, drew backlash from some scouts for being selected due to his lack of size and poor statistical numbers in his lone season at USC. James’ son signed a standard four-year $7.9 million contract for a player taken at the later stages of the second round.

James Jr. has yet to make an impact in two games of Summer League action. On Monday, he scored two points in 25 minutes with just one assist, while Lakers first-round pick Dalton Knecht knocked down 19 as their team fell to the Boston Celtics 88-74. Two days earlier, Los Angeles dropped their first game in Las Vegas after the former USC SG went 3-14 from the floor on 0-8 shooting from behind the arc. James Jr. has yet to knock down a three in 11 attempts in 52 minutes of game action across two games.

When ESPN asked him about his thoughts on developing at the G-league level, the rookie gave a professional answer stating, “I’m just looking forward to any basketball I play, no matter what level I’m playing at.”

The Lakers are in a transitional period after getting bounced in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Their superstars, Anthony Davis and James, are at the USA basketball showcase exhibition games in the Middle East to find their footing before taking on Serbia, South Sudan and Puerto Rico in Group C at the Olympics. When they return, a new coach will sit at the sideline as JJ Redick takes on his first gig as the headman of an NBA team, taking over for Darvin Ham who lasted two seasons.