Former NBA player Chandler Parsons doesn’t agree with the notion that the Los Angeles Lakers should bring up rookie Bronny James since they aren’t a “championship team” this season, an idea that Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade recently suggested.
Parsons believes that the 2024 second-round pick would benefit more from being in the G League and developing this season. He also seems to think that the Lakers shouldn’t bring James up simply because his father is LeBron.
“Isn’t there other guys on the Lakers that possibly deserve to get called up more than him, too – like on this G League team?” Parsons asked. “… This isn’t the business of pleasing LeBron James. It’s the business of winning basketball games. And Bronny James won’t help the Lakers win basketball games right now, but he could help…the G League team win basketball games, and he can help his career kind of slowly come along and develop.”
While the younger James may not be a helpful player for the Lakers right now, Los Angeles also isn’t relying on him to win games. The Lakers have only played the younger James in seven NBA games this season, and he’s only averaging 2.6 minutes per game.
It’s possible that another player may deserve a chance to get called up from the G League and be on the Lakers’ roster, but that player likely wouldn’t get much playing time on the court either given the current state of L.A.’s rotation.
In fact, the Lakers and head coach J.J. Redick have played 2024 first-round pick Dalton Knecht less than 13 minutes in each of their last three games. So, if the Lakers aren’t finding playing time for Knecht, it seems highly unlikely that any G League player would get called up and immediately play rotation minutes.
The younger James has spent time in the G League this season, appearing in seven games at that level. He has averaged 13.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 37.4 percent from the field and 21.2 percent from deep in 27.0 minutes per game.
He’s seen much more playing time at the G League level, which should allow him to work on his game and develop this season. He is still just 20 years old.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles currently holds the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference with a 16-12 record this season.
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