NBA Draft

Bronny James Assigned to Los Angeles Lakers G League Affiliate

The Los Angeles Lakers have assigned Bronny James to their NBA G League Affiliate the South Bay Lakers as the NBA G League season is right around the corner.

Rylan Stiles

Nov 1, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) during warm-up before a game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Nov 1, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) during warm-up before a game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
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On Thursday, it was announced that the Los Angeles Lakers have assigned rookie Bronny James to their NBA G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers. After selecting James with the No. 55 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, the USC Product hits the road to South Bay with the NBA G League season set to begin.

Bronny, the son of NBA Great and Lakers Star LeBron James, has been under a microscope his entire basketball career with discourse hitting a fever pitch when the Purple and Gold selected the swingman with the No. 55 pick back in June.

The think pieces and hot takes will be plentiful but this move - down to the timing - makes all the sense in the world for all parties involved. James at the NBA level has logged 13 minutes across four games, scoring four points, dishing out two assists, swiping a steal and hauling in a rebound.

This was always going to be the outcome for a project pick and the Lakers held true to the rest of the NBA's standard. There is little to no point to send a player bound for the G League down to the farm until the season actually begins. That is the case this week, with the South Bay Lakers tipping off their season on Saturday, Novever 9 against the Salt Lake City Stars.

The Lakers will model this assignment the way most are handled, having James play almost exclusively in South Bay home games and managing his time between the two rosters.

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Rylan Stiles
RYLAN STILES

Rylan Stiles is a credentialed media member covering the Oklahoma City Thunder. He hosts the Locked On Thunder Podcast, and is lead beat writer for Inside the Thunder. Rylan is also an award-winning play-by-play broadcaster for the Oklahoma Sports Network. 

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