LeBron James’ former teammate Dwyane Wade wants to see Bronny James given a role with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Bronny James began the season on the Los Angeles Lakers, playing alongside his dad LeBron James and scoring his first NBA points.
Since then he has dropped back down into the G-League for his development, only making the occasional appearance.
That has not stopped Bronny James becoming a talking point. Former NBA star Paul Pierce said the LA Lakers should ‘let Bronny cook’ and entertain the fans – and this was a take LeBron’s former Miami Heat teammate Dwyane Wade agreed with.
Speaking on his own podcast, Dwyane Wade claimed this is what NBA fans want to see, Bronny James on the LA Lakers roster, and not the South Bay Lakers. Bring Bronny up. We want to see that.
“As a fan of the game, I’m not looking at the Lakers and saying they’re gonna win a championship… We want to see Bronny. This is not a championship team. This is not a championship roster.”
Dwyane Wade’s take on Bronny James is not a universally popular one. And in the case of the LA Lakers, it is an impractical decision.
Former NBA star Lou Williams argues that the fifth placed team in the Western Conference do consider themselves contenders, and are not here to run as a developmental squad. He says there is simply no time for Bronny James to get the minutes he needs.
Speaking to Run It Back, Williams argues: “They are not known for developing talent. It’s not like he’s going to come up and get an opportunity and play a bunch of minutes where he can get that in-game experience that he’s gonna get with the G league team.
“He’s getting he’s getting valuable minutes. He’s learning valuable things about running point guard, about being a two guard, being undersized, finding out ways that he can impact games, finding out ways that he can stick, and by the time that he does come up to the Los Angeles Lakers, he can be a worthy guy on that basketball team that’s going to earn his minutes.
“Now, if you throw him in this mix, now, you’re dealing with a team that’s still trying to find their place in this playoff run, there’s going to be no minutes for him. They’re not going to work him in the line-ups.
“It’s not going to be a decision that’s going to be worthwhile for Bronny James, if you bring him up now. championship team.
“I don’t think that you throw him in that fire, because you’re not going to give him the minutes anyways. He’s not going to play in front of what D-Lo, he’s not going to play in front of Gabe Vincent. He’s not going to play in front of Knecht.
“He’s not going to play going to play in front of Cam Reddish, Max Christie has just figured it out. He’s not going to get the minutes before these guys. so for that reason, keep him in the G-league where he can get valuable minutes, he can give value what time that way by the time he does come up, he can be somebody that can give you great production on the floor.”
There’s no doubting that the Bronny James story is one that piques interest, that’s why the player is a topic of discussion on NBA talk shows when he is playing in the G-League.
The Lakers reported huge shirt sales of Bronny’s replica jersey, showing that interest translates too, and it something the team might want to eventually capitalise on.
But Williams’ comments are correct. If there is no space for Bronny to actually play right now, then don’t let him become an unnecessary distraction.
He recently put up 30 points in a G-League game, showing he has talent, and if he can do this on a regular basis, then the case to call him up becomes a lot stronger. There is plenty of time before the play-offs come around, and right now it is a case of building up the reps, and being ready for when and if he is needed.
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