Tag: Lakers

Bronny James makes Lakers debut, shows he can be a valuable NBA player

Bronny James played solid defense and showed his basketball IQ in his Lakers debut.

Everyone who watched Bronny James in his first professional basketball game on Saturday afternoon will notice that LeBron James’ son went 2 of 9 from the field. That’s the first thing anyone will see, and likely discuss, after his Los Angeles Lakers NBA debut in summertime action at the California Classic in San Francisco. However, if we look past the shooting numbers, Bronny showed why he can eventually stick on an NBA roster.

Yes, Bronny’s upcoming basketball season will be spent primarily in the G League. On that point, there is really no debate. Bronny needs time to develop his game, time he didn’t have due to suffering cardiac arrest last summer and then entering the draft relatively early instead of playing a second year of college basketball. Not one realistic NBA scout or executive would dispute the need for Bronny to play a lot of ball and work on his game. He’s going to make a home in the G League when the NBA season begins.

However, if we look at Saturday’s summer game against the Sacramento Kings, in which the Lakers lost 108-94, we can see what makes Bronny a potential NBA player. We emphasize “potential” because Bronny isn’t an NBA-level player right now.

Bronny collected a few rebounds and assists. He also made a steal and multiple deflected passes. He showed an understanding of spacing and geometry. He was usually in the right position on defense. He made some sharp passes to facilitate good ball movement. He does a lot of really good things off the ball, and that matters. The shooting, the offense, the natural skill — those are all limited, and Bronny will have to develop them to a certain degree. However, anyone who can defend, rebound, and pass can become a useful role player. Bronny James can do those things. As his body develops and his game comes along, he has a chance — we’re not saying a likelihood, only a chance — to become an NBA-quality player.

A chance, in the end, is all Bronny James can ask for.

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Bronny James officially signs with Los Angeles Lakers

Bronny is officially a Laker. Signed and sealed.

Bronny James has signed his first NBA contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron Wire has more details:

He has signed his first NBA contract with them just days after they took him with the No. 55 pick in last week’s draft. He will wear jersey No. 9, and he was introduced to the Los Angeles-area media at a press conference on Tuesday.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), NBA insider Shams Charania shared a couple of details about the younger James’ contract. The deal is for a total of four seasons, with a team option in the fourth year, and it will pay the 19-year-old $7.9 million.

Bronny James is likely to play in the Lakers’ NBA summer league opener on Friday, July 12, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time, 4:30 Pacific, on ESPN and ESPN Plus. Summer league should give the Lakers a first strong impression of what Bronny needs to work on in the development of his game. One would think he will receive the chance to accompany LeBron James on one or two plane flights for Laker games, but most of his 2024-2025 season should be spent in the G League.

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USA TODAY Sports columnist makes a very reasonable point on Bronny James, Lakers

A USA TODAY Sports columnist makes complete sense when discussing Bronny and the Lakers.

The Los Angeles Lakers picked Bronny James at No. 55 in the NBA draft last week. There were 58 picks allotted to NBA teams in the draft, so the Lakers were picking at the back end of the draft. It’s not as though they drafted Bronny 30, 40 or 50 draft slots ahead of where he should have been taken. The Lakers took Bronny four spots higher than what many people thought was appropriate. All this over four draft spots (No. 55 compared to an undrafted selection)? USA TODAY Sports columnist Mike Freeman doesn’t make that argument. He makes a different but entirely reasonable point: The Lakers are not unique or severe in their nepotism.

Freeman writes about nepotism:

It’s rampant not just in the NBA. It is rampant everywhere.

Nepotism is a mechanism mainly for the powerful and has been for centuries. It’s almost canon. It’s also not just the super rich. A middle class dad gets his son a job in the company where he works. The 2010 U.S. census outlined just how extensive nepotism is in the country. It said that 22% of men whose fathers were present in their teenage years will work for the same employer simultaneously as their fathers.

Freeman later continues:

The NFL is rife with nepotism. There are enough Belichicks to fill an NFL coaching staff. Sports broadcasting overflows with it. There’s nepotism in officiating.

It’s all over sports. Shedeur Sanders plays for his father, Deion, at Colorado. Austin Rivers played for his father, Doc, while both were with the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Lakers didn’t invent nepotism. They aren’t industry leaders in nepotism. Bronny James is hardly the worst example of nepotism in sports. We can all calm down.

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Report: Klay Thompson planning to have discussions with 4 teams in free agency

The four-time champion is reportedly planning on having discussions with four teams at the start of free agency.

All signs point to the end of the legendary Klay Thompson era with the Golden State Warriors.

Multiple reports have indicated that Thompson and the Warriors are set to part ways this summer after 13 years and four championships. The veteran sharpshooter is rumored to suit up in a new uniform for the first time in his career.

Shortly after the NBA’s free agency window opened on Sunday, Thompson is reportedly planning to have discussions with four teams. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Thompson is planning to have discussions with the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and the Philadelphia 76ers.

Via @wojespn on Twitter:

Shams Charania of The Athletic is reporting Thompson and the Warriors are exploring different sign-and-trade options. If the Warriors and Thompson’s preferred destination can agree to a sign and trade, Golden State could potentially acquire players or draft compensation.

Via @ShamsCharania on Twitter:

In his final season with the Warriors, Thompson averaged 17.9 points on 43.2% shooting from the floor and 38.7% from beyond the arc to go along with 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 29.7 minutes per game.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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Report: Lakers, Mavericks and Clippers expected suitors for Klay Thompson

A trio of teams have reportedly emerged as strong suitors for Klay Thompson in free agency.

After 13 season, Klay Thompson’s time as a member of the Golden State Warriors appears to be coming to an end. On Sunday when the four-time NBA champ is set to become a free agent, the Warriors and Thompson are reportedly bracing for the end of an era.

As the Warriors and Thompson reportedly prepare to part ways, teams are beginning to emerge as suitors for the former All-Star guard. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks are expected to be “strong suitors” for Thompson.

While the Lakers, Clippers and Mavericks are reportedly strong suitors, other teams with salary cap space are expected to show interest in Thompson as well, per Charania.

Via The Athletic:

The Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers and Dallas Mavericks are expected to be among strong suitors for Thompson, according to league sources. Multiple teams with salary cap space are expected to show interest in Thompson as well.

Read Charania’s full story via The Athletic here.

In 2023-24 Thompson played 77 games, averaging 17.9 points on 43.2% shooting from the floor and 38.7% from beyond the arc. For the first time in his career, Thompson came off the bench for the Warriors last season.

Free agency is set to begin at 3 p.m. PT on Sunday afternoon.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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Draymond Green reacts to Bronny James joining LeBron James, Lakers

What are Draymond Green and other high-profile NBA players saying and thinking about Bronny and the Lakers?

Golden State Warriors all-star forward Draymond Green gives his take on Bronny James being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2024 NBA Draft, joining his dad LeBron to become the first father/son active duo in the league.

Before his collegiate career began, Bronny went into cardiac arrest in July of 2023 while working out at USC. It was later revealed he had a congenital heart defect. He was cleared to return, and in recent weeks, he was medically cleared to play in the NBA, which removed a final obstacle to the Lakers in their attempt to select him at No. 55 in the 2024 NBA draft.

James finished his high school career at Sierra Canyon as a four-star recruit and a McDonald’s All-American. The guard averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.7 steals his senior year of high school.

LeBron James’ deadline to opt out of his deal with the Lakers was Friday. He did in fact opt out of his deal and is fully expected to remain with the team as he and his son prepare to make NBA history.

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Commentator claps back at Lakers nepotism criticism for drafting Bronny James

The nepotism angle with the Lakers and Bronny is greatly overblown.

Rich Eisen is one of various national commentators pushing back against the “nepotism” criticism leveled against the Los Angeles Lakers for picking Bronny James at No. 55 in the NBA draft.

The former USC Trojans guard averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game while shooting below 40% from the field last season. However, he had health problems leading into the season, did not play a full schedule of games, and was playing on a team which endured other injuries to important players, including first-round NBA draft pick Isaiah Collier. It’s less that Bronny James wasn’t good last season; it’s much more a case of Bronny not having enough time or enough repetitions to fully prove himself. This was not a failed season for him, so much as it was an incomplete or unresolved season. He just needs time to play, learn, and develop, and that should come his way in the NBA summer league in a matter of weeks.

Bronny will now teammates with his father, LeBron James, on the Lakers. For the first time in NBA history we have a father and son duo at the same time. That’s actually pretty cool. Rich Eisen’s response to the “nepotism” charge over a No. 55 NBA draft pick:

“Who cares?” Indeed. This is not that big a deal. If this was a top-15 pick, different story.

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Report: Klay Thompson and Warriors preparing to part ways in free agency

Klay Thompson and the Warriors are reportedly preparing to part ways.

The start of free agency on Sunday could mark the end of an era for the Golden State Warriors. As Klay Thompson is preparing to become on unrestricted free agent, the Warriors are reportedly bracing for the end of an era.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Warriors are preparing to lose Thompson in free agency. Thompson could be the first member of Golden State’s legendary trio, which also includes Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, to leave the franchise after winning four championships together in the Bay Area.

Via @ShamsCharania on Twitter:

Since being drafted out of Washington State in the first round of the 2011 NBA draft, Thompson has spent his entire 11 career with the Warriors. During his campaign, Thompson has been responsible for a flurry of legendary moments on and off the court, including championships, All-Star games, signing toasters, barrages of 3-pointers and clutch performances in different playoff games.

During his 11-year run with the Warriors, Thompson averaged 19.6 points per game on 45.3% shooting from the field and 41.3% from beyond the arc. Thompson is second to only behind Curry in Golden State’s franchise 3-point field goals. Thompson ranks in the top 10 of multiple categories of the franchise record books.

Thompson is coming off an up and down season in 2023-24 where he came off the bench for the first time in his career. Thompson played 77 games, averaging 17.9 points on 43.2% shooting from the field and 38.7% from deep.

Free agency is set to begin on Sunday at 3 p.m. PT.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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Realistic expectations for Bronny James’ rookie season with the Lakers

ESPN NBA analysts discuss Bronny James’ future with the Lakers.

Bronny James was expected to land with the Los Angeles Lakers and that was exactly what happened on Thursday afternoon in the second round of the 2024 NBA draft.

Yahoo Sports NBA draft analyst Krysten Peek projected that James would be taken with the 55th overall selection by the Los Angeles Lakers.

“James is far from a finished product, but proved he belonged in this draft class as a prospect at the draft combine, where he shot the ball well and showed more scoring potential in the lane with his floater,” Peek wrote in her most recent mock draft.

But what are realistic expectations for Bronny James’ rookie season with the Lakers? It seems hard to think that Bronny will crack the Lakers’ rotation right away. He might have a cup of coffee and join LeBron James for a few Laker games, just to get his feet wet and have the kinds of experiences he and his father want to remember for the rest of their lives, but over the larger course of the coming basketball season, it seems highly likely that Bronny will be developing his game in the G League.

The NBA Today crew featuring Kendrick Perkins, Dave McMenamin and Brian Windhorst joins Malika Andrews to discuss Bronny James’ future with the Los Angeles Lakers.

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Rob Pelinka and JJ Redick showered Bronny James with praise in Lakers’ behind-the-scenes draft video

The Lakers seem excited to have Bronny

For years, it’s been a foregone conclusion that Bronny James would be a Laker.

LeBron James made it his goal to play with his son. We can all say what we want and have opinions about it — we’ve surely got some questions ourselves — but the mission is accomplished.

RELATED: LeBron James had the perfect 1-word reaction to the Lakers drafting Bronny

It’s not just LeBron who is excited about the Lakers drafting Bronny. JJ Redick and Rob Pelinka seem to be pretty happy they managed to grab him, too.

They both praised Bronny the moment they called to let him know the Lakers were picking him up.

Rob Pelinka had a ton to say to Bronny on the phone.

“You’ve worked incredibly hard, man. You’ve put in a ton of work. When we had lunch up at the facility we talked about your work ethic and that means a lot to us. I think second to that, your’e a player of high character and a person of high character and that is valued at the Lakers. And so it’s important for coach Redick and I to let you know those qualities really stand out. And so the Lakers are going to draft you with the 55th pick in the draft and I just wanted to let you know. 

Redick kept things short and sweet with him, saying, “I just wanted to say congrats, man. Your hard work’s paid off. You’re going to have a long NBA career and I can’t wait to coach you, man.”

That’s high praise. What a nice moment.