NEWSWEEK
The Los Angeles Lakers have started out the new season with three straight wins, all over quality teams in the NBA. It has felt like a different team than that of the past despite the roster being pretty much the same as last year.
However, the Lakers have one main difference this season which is their head coach. Former NBA guard JJ Redick took over the Lakers’ open position this offseason and has done a great job so far.
While it’s only a small sample size, the Lakers have looked more focused and energized on the court. But in the win over the Sacramento Kings last night, eyes were once again on rookie guard Bronny James.
James made his NBA debut in the season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves but has yet to log a single minute since. The team is allowing him to stay with them through this upcoming road trip but he will then shuffle between the NBA and G-League.
The Lakers have spent time this offseason putting an emphasis on player development, with James being one of the main pieces of that. Redick spoke earlier this summer about the plan for James, saying he will be given an opportunity to grow his game.
“For us, prioritizing player development, we view Bronny as like, case study one, because his base level of feel, athleticism, point-of-attack defender, shooting, passing, there’s a lot to like about his game,” Redick said in July. “And as we sort of build out our player development program holistically, he’s going to have a great opportunity to become an excellent NBA player.”
James isn’t ready to be a full-time NBA player and will need patience from the Lakers to develop. If the team can allow him the time that he needs, he could eventually become an impactful player at the professional level.
The next opportunity to see if James will get into a game will be on Monday as the Lakers take on the Phoenix Suns once again. Los Angeles defeated Phoenix in their second game of the season but this will be their first game away from Crypto.com Arena.
In all likelihood, James won’t take the court unless the game is a blowout and the Lakers empty their bench. If he does enter the game, it could be good reps for the young guard.
The Lakers now head out on a five-game road trip which is likely to be the last few games that James is with Los Angeles.
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