Lakers Make Final Decision on Bronny James for G League Showcase

Will the rookie point guard suit up for South Bay, or stay with L.A.?

Dec 8, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) handles the ball in the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Will rookie Los Angeles Lakers point guard Bronny James, son of 20-time All-Star Lakers combo forward LeBron James, suit up for L.A.'s G League affiliate squad, the South Bay Lakers, in this week's Orlando-set G League Showcase, or stay with the Lakers proper?

Last week, Los Angeles was striving to make a decision about the younger James' fate for the event. Per NBA insider Marc Stein, part of that determination would be made based on just how many of the team's guards would be healthy this week. At the time, starting Los Angeles point guard Austin Reaves had just recovered from a left hip contusion.

Now, Stein reports that Bronny James will suit up for South Bay this week. Stein reveals that each of the league's 31 G League squads will play at least two games with representatives from all of the NBA's 30 clubs in attendance. It represents a major opportunity for young players hoping to make the league to show their stuff.

The No. 55 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft following a one-and-done season with the USC Trojans, Bronny James famously inked a four-year, $7.9 million fully guaranteed standard roster deal with Los Angeles this summer, meaning he doesn't have to prove anything in terms of securing a job.

However, the 6-foot-2 pro is still trying to show he belongs at the NBA level. He has looked a bit tentative on either end of the floor, and has struggled mightily to score from anywhere, during his first seven games with the Lakers. Those bouts amounted to mere cameos, as he's averaged a scant 2.6 minutes a night thus far. Across those bouts, Bronny James is averaging just 0.6 points on 12.5 percent shooting from the foul line, along with 0.3 assists, 0.1 rebounds, 0.1 steals and 0.1 blocks a night.

Playing a far more outsized role with South Bay, Bronny James has been coming around of late. In his last two games, he's averaged 23 points per. Across five total games with South Bay to date, the first-year guard is averaging 14.4 points on a fairly inefficient slash line of .377/.200/.667, plus 2.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.8 blocks a game.

Per Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin of ESPN, James' agents at Klutch Sports and Los Angeles front office brass both agreed this was the right move for the young guard's development. First up for South Bay during the Showcase is a matchup with the Greensboro Swarm, the Charlotte Hornets' NBAGL affiliate, on Thursday.

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