USC Basketball: Bronny James, Lakers to Face Bulls in Summer League Consolation Bracket

L.A. has gone 2-2 in Las Vegas Summer League play so far.

Jul 12, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) competes during the second half against the Houston Rockets at the Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports / Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

Former one-and-done USC Trojans point guard Bronny James has had an erratic pro start since being selected with the No. 55 pick by his father LeBron's Los Angeles Lakers in last month's draft.

Following a miserable run during the California Classic, James has righted the ship somewhat in the Las Vegas Summer League, stringing together a pair of efficient, double-digit scoring nights. His defense has been consistently solid, and one imagines he'll make a big impact on L.A.'s G League team, the South Bay Lakers, where presumably he'll get most of his minutes next season.

Los Angeles has gone 2-2 in the Las Vegas portion of Summer League play, and thus has been relegated to the consolation bracket this year. The L.A. Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors, and Miami Heat (all 4-0) are the four semifinalists in the Summer League playoffs.

So at 4 p.m. PT tonight, L.A. will face off against the 2-2 Chicago Bulls, led by No. 11 rookie draft pick Matas Buzelis, at the Thomas & Mack Center. The matchup will be broadcast on NBA TV.

Another Chicago X-factor to watch is shooting guard DJ Steward, who's averaging 19.3 points while shooting 49.1 percent from the field, including a robust 41.7 of his 6.0 triple tries a night.

Bronny James is hardly the best player on the Lakers' Summer League squad, however — that'd be fellow rookie Dalton Knecht, who's averaging 21.3 points and 5.3 rebounds a night, while connecting on 39 percent of his long range tries.

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