LeBron James says Lakers rookie Scotty Pippen Jr. has ‘bright’ future

The Los Angeles Lakers have shifted their roster this offseason to become a little younger.

Among the new players that the franchise has brought in, Scotty Pippen Jr. is believed in by Lakers superstar LeBron James.

James, 37, is heading into his 20th season in the NBA.

The four-time MVP is coming off an incredible personal campaign, but his team had a terrible time last season. He gathered 30.3 points, 8.2 boards and 6.2 assists per game during the 2021-22 campaign. Furthermore, he shot 52.4 percent from the field.

Despite James’ amazing individual performance, his team was atrocious last season. The Lakers missed the playoffs by a long shot. They finished with the No. 11 seed in the Western Conference and a 33-49 record.

As a result, the franchise has prioritized going younger. The team picked up Lonnie Walker IV and Troy Brown Jr. among other youngsters.

Of course, Pippen is one of the undrafted gems the Lakers collected this offseason. The guard averaged more than 20 points per contest during each of his final two seasons at Vanderbilt University.

In 36 games with the Commodores in the 2021-22 season, Pippen collected 20.4 points, 4.5 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals per contest.

Surely, the Lakers will need the additional support. The franchise is working on ways to enhance the roster. In fact, veteran Russell Westbrook has seemingly been on the trading block for the past few months.

The Lakers are reportedly trying to trade the former MVP in a deal that would land them Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving, who won a a championship with James on the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.