The Los Angeles Lakers sent both young guard Bronny James and rookie Cameron Carr to the G League Coachella Valley Lakers on Friday, November 6, and while each just played one game before returning to the NBA team, it could become a trend for the franchise this season.
Specifically, as it relates to James, who still hasn’t cracked the Lakers’ rotation on a nightly basis, perhaps giving the 22-year-old more time in the G League could be best for both the player and the team.
LeBron James‘ son has an uncertain future in Los Angeles, but with the franchise needing more out of him, allowing the guard to get into a rhythm and develop his game was recently deemed the best direction for the Lakers to take.
Lakers Urged To Continue Bronny James G League Stints
James was demoted to the G League for one game, and while he put up a strong 22 points, five rebounds, and seven assists, a potential sign he could become a bigger contributor for the Lakers, the team might be better off keeping him on the developmental team.
Writing for LakeShowLife.com, Maxwell Ogden believes James should keep spending time in the G League, as it’s become clear over this year and the first two seasons of his career that he isn’t an NBA-caliber contributor on a game-to-game basis.
“James revealed why he should be spending more time in the G League: Extended minutes actually give him a chance to develop and refine his game in real time,” he wrote. “Though this may stoke the flames of intrigue in regard to what he can manage in the NBA, the Lakers would be wise to give James extended run in the G League due to the availability of minutes and touches.”
James continues to look like a vastly different player when seeing minutes in the G League compared to the NBA. He has a huge role on the team and looks comfortable with the ball in his hands. As Ogden mentioned, continuing to play in Coachella Valley appears to be best for his development, as it is clear there is more behind what he’s shown with the Lakers so far, but it only appears to come out when he gets demoted to the lower ranks.
“In the G League, James receives chances to run the offense and flex his skills as a point guard. In the process, he learns in real time what areas of his game need polish and what he may need to rely on less as it becomes clear that perceived strengths aren’t at the level they should be,” he added. “By consistently playing in the G League, James can begin to develop a style of play that actually suits the Lakers by receiving enough minutes to actually gain tangible knowledge of how he can help.”
It’s uncertain if the Lakers will send James back to the G League anytime soon, but with his limited appearances so far in the NBA this season, it might be best for Los Angeles to truly figure out what they have with him. He hasn’t been given the chance to prove his full potential at the highest stage, but continuing to work on his game in the G League looks to be the best avenue for the franchise to get the most out of the second-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Los Angeles’ Young Guard Got Demoted But Moved Back Up
The Lakers made the decision to demote both James and Carr to the G League on Friday night, as each suited up in the Coachella Valley Lakers’ season debut, missing Los Angeles’ NBA Cup game the same night.
“Lakers rookie Cameron Carr and Bronny James were assigned to the Coachella Valley Lakers, the team announced. CVL opens its G League season Friday in Palm Desert,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin wrote on X.
Shortly after the news was announced, Redick revealed why he made the decision.
“I mean, both him and Cam [Carr] will be with us on the trip. The messaging was very simple: You guys need reps and you guys need to play,” he told reporters. “Bronny’s done this enough between being with us and being with South Bay the last two years and now Coachella, so he knows what’s expected of him there. For Cam, that’s why we have the G League: to develop players, and he needs reps.”
As mentioned, James had a strong performance. He continues to play well during his G League stints, but it hasn’t yet translated to the NBA level. The 22-year-old has played in less than half of the Lakers’ first 11 games of the year and has recorded a total of four points in 12 minutes.
“It’s good to be in a new environment,” James said after his lone G League game of the season so far.
Now, both James and Carr are back with the Lakers, but neither recorded any minutes during the team’s win over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday. After that, as Ogden mentioned, it might be best for Los Angeles to continue giving the reserve point guard a big responsibility in the G League to develop his game before he ever becomes a consistent role player back on the NBA level.
Lakers Urged To Make Strong Bronny James Decision After G League Stint