NBA draft 2024 – Bronny James’ match and future with the Los Angeles Lakers — and LeBron

Bronny James is a Los Angeles Laker.

With the fifty fifth decide 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 sport most wants to enhance on the subsequent stage? If, as anticipated, LeBron both opts into his last yr or indicators a brand new cope with the Lakers, in what number of video games will father and son take the court docket collectively in 2024-25?

Our NBA Insiders are breaking down the largest 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 anyplace else moreover alongside his father with the Lakers. It is a touchdown spot that may include anticipation, expectations and ample stress — from the skin, not 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 onerous to investigate the match with out figuring out what kind of professional Bronny will turn out to be, or the place he’d even place on the staff’s depth chart. (For context: Jalen Hood-Schifino, a guard who received taken within the first spherical final summer time, logged simply 109 minutes as a rookie.) And that is greater than OK. I feel most of us can have a look at the decide for what it’s: On a base stage, it is a likelihood to see a father and son share the court docket for the primary time in an NBA sport. As teammates, no much less. If it develops right into a larger match than that, will probably be outstanding. However even when it would not, it is nonetheless outstanding in its personal means.

Dave McMenamin: Stress packed. The good factor is, Bronny has realized his aim to make it to the NBA. The difficult 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 an expert. There was certain to be a highlight on Bronny wherever he ended up if he made it to the league, however there might be an exponentially bigger one enjoying with the Lakers as LeBron closes out his profession.

Ohm Youngmisuk: Maybe probably the most scrutinized ever for a second-round decide. Ever since LeBron mentioned this as a chance, it appeared inevitable that father and son would discover a solution 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 decide will ever be scrutinized the best way Bronny might be as a consequence of who he’s, who his father is and the glamorous Lakers franchise. At summer time 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, needs to defend, has the work ethic to turn out 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 is usually 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 onerous 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 profit from the prospect he’ll get.

McMenamin: Exhausting to say something different than simply proper. Contemplating his faculty manufacturing was inconclusive at greatest in proving his NBA potential, an important factor for Bronny was discovering a staff to consider in him sufficient to speculate a decide 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 trying smart or misguided in the long term.

Borzello: He was value taking a flier on. Most will say it is too excessive primarily based on faculty 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 sport in Germany. It isn’t 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 exhibit 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 inside the offense, however being a playmaker within the half court docket is an space for enchancment.

Herring: It might be an enormous growth for him to develop an efficient floater. You’ll be able to see the makings of 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 top. Including a dependable floater could possibly be an enormous device for his sport.

McMenamin: Participating his motor extra usually. Any top-line evaluation of Bronny as an NBA prospect factors to his elite athleticism on the plus facet and his relative lack of dimension as a minus. Explosive exercise — operating the court docket, enjoying bodily and related wing protection, and making performs above the rim — is a method he can restrict his top drawback. One expertise evaluator who noticed Bronny through the pre-draft course of instructed ESPN that the guard’s intensive soccer expertise rising up might need brought about him to unknowingly tempo himself on the court docket after being accustomed to enjoying on extra expansive soccer pitches. Former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas, who labored out with Bronny in L.A. lately, backed up this commentary, saying on the “Gil’s Enviornment” podcast: “He has the Bugatti engine, however he needs to drive the velocity restrict.”

Youngmisuk: James has the shape and work ethic to turn out to be a greater 3-point shooter after hitting simply 26.7% from behind the arc at USC. Remember that James was making his means again from struggling cardiac arrest throughout a summer time 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 briefly 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 might be decided by _____.

Youngmisuk: His means to defend. James is not as fast as many NBA level guards or as tall as NBA taking pictures guards. However James’ NBA calling card might be as a 3-and-D function participant who makes successful performs. He works onerous on the defensive finish and should keep in entrance of guards and defend at a excessive stage. His basketball IQ stands out. He appears to be like to make the best play and the best move, 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 outdated man.

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 trustworthy right here: How properly a participant develops has a lot to do with the place he is growing, too — and that is one facet of Klutch CEO Wealthy Paul’s pondering that was at all times onerous 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 attention-grabbing to see him find yourself with one of many golf equipment — Miami, San Antonio, Toronto — which might be 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 critical cardiac incident and joined his USC teammates in sport motion midseason. However let’s be trustworthy: He nonetheless wants much more work to achieve his aim of being an influence participant on the following stage and never simply somebody taking on a roster spot on the tip of the bench.

Borzello: Endurance and participant growth. Previous to final summer time, Bronny was being projected as a possible first-round decide — however making a direct influence and contributing from day one within the NBA wasn’t the expectation. And that was earlier than he suffered a cardiac arrest throughout apply final summer time. He did not make his faculty debut till December and was on a minutes restriction for just a few weeks; he began simply six faculty video games. On the plus facet, Bronny is not going to be requested to start out within the NBA early. It should take time — however his price of enchancment at the highschool stage paints an image of somebody who might 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 sport to. Vacation and White are excellent gamers for the rookie to emulate, as James needs 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 can have an extended profession.

Herring: Nonetheless unknown. He landed with a strong staff within the Lakers, who, given his dad’s age, wish to win large proper now. That is usually not conducive for youthful gamers who’re in search of alternatives to develop, significantly second-rounders. Nonetheless, I feel the hope must be that Bronny can sooner or later develop extra playmaking and taking pictures means to the place he can turn out to be a rotation participant. His willingness to compete on the defensive finish is an apparent energy. 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 means, he’ll want time to develop, and I genuinely hope he will get that chance.

Borzello: I do not suppose it is a stretch to suppose he is usually a rotation participant inside just a few years. His flooring 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 increased. Bronny has already demonstrated he is able to shopping for into a task and will not anticipate 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 function.

McMenamin: Moderately than what his ceiling is, let’s discuss what his aspiration must be — a rotation participant on a successful staff. If he can turn out to be that, it’s going to unlock every part he may ask for as a professional when it comes to longevity and compensation and the achievement of having the ability to apply what seems to be his most NBA-ready ability 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 aside from his father’s as he introduced to the world as his aim through 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 in throughout blowouts initially. What number of minutes will he really play collectively along with his father on the ground? These cases seemingly might be uncommon this season because the Lakers get adjusted to new coach JJ Redick’s system whereas attempting to win now. The main target must be on Bronny to develop his sport and be taught.

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 might be a clean-up man later in video games which have primarily been determined. (The preseason video games can be a incredible, low-stakes alternative.) I do not suppose 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 could possibly be one thing of an damage threat to do it for longer stretches.

Borzello: Round 5. They will not play important minutes collectively in most video games, a few minutes towards the tip of halves or video games at greatest. However I’d think about there is a line of pondering to get the 2 of them on the ground collectively early within the season just a few occasions after which have Bronny play so much within the G League.

McMenamin: I am certain LeBron would let you know he is not centered 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 along with his son. They’re going to share the court docket collectively in sport motion, in fact, however let’s not miss the large image right here.