LeBron James has left his son behind with the Los Angeles Lakers, and so Bronny James has to fend for himself.
There looked on Wednesday night like there would be an opportunity for Bronny to do that.
While father LeBron was playing in Indiana on Wednesday, Bronny was in Los Angeles against the Clippers.
And while LeBron and the 76ers pulled off a great comeback win, Bronny didn’t get off the bench.
While on most nights that wouldn’t be unusual for Bronny, on this night it was a harsh reality check.
Bronny James Reality Check
This night was different for the Lakers.
Luka Doncic was out
Ziaire Williams was out, too.
Both are perimeter players whose absences should’ve pushed Bronny further up in the pecking order.
Despite that, Bronny didn’t get a single minute.
The Lakers won by 16 points, too, pulling away late. It wasn’t a close game until the final seconds.
But instead of playing Bronny even a few minutes, the Lakers gave 38 minutes to Quentin Grimes, 35 minutes to Jake LaRavia, 31 minutes to Austin Reaves, 28 minutes to Mathisse Thybulle, 30 minutes to Sandro Mamukelashvili, 21 minutes to Collin Sexton and 9 minutes to Jaden Hardy.
Bronny and another guard, Chris Manon, sat on the bench unused as DNP-Coach’s Decisions.
If Bronny can’t get into the game in a 16-point win on a night that Luka and Ziaire are both out, when can he?
Bronny has played just once this season, in a 127-105 win over the Warriors to open the season, when he got seven minutes and made the only shot he attempted in the blowout victory.
The Lakers have played four times since then. Bronny has sat on the bench in all four.
Why 76ers Didn’t Bring Bronny With LeBron
The interesting aspect of this offseason from the 76ers’ perspective is that some wondered whether they’d bring Bronny along after signing LeBron.
It wouldn’t have been quite as simple. Since Bronny was under contract with the Lakers, it’d have to be a trade.
But it seems like if LeBron had asked for it, the 76ers would’ve made it happen.
Instead, father seems to have decided to let his son make his own way out in Hollywood. It’s probably the logical step for both of their careers.
It’s just that so far, Bronny hasn’t found a way to break through. With LeBron now far away, Bronny is just sitting on the Lakers’ bench wondering if he’ll ever get a real chance.
LeBron James’ Son Bronny Gets Harsh Reality Check