LeBron and Bronny James Prepare for Historic NBA Moment
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — LeBron James and his son, Bronny, have already begun scrimmanging with their Los Angeles Lakers teammates during voluntary offseason workouts. Coach JJ Redick and his staff are excitedly discussing the moment earlier in the upcoming NBA season when they may see a father and son share the court for the first time in league history.
Although the exact details of this groundbreaking occasion remain to be finalized, Redick shares in the excitement felt throughout the basketball community regarding the prospect of watching the NBA’s all-time leading scorer play alongside the Lakers’ new second-round draft pick. Notably, no father and son have ever played together in the NBA, let alone on the same team.
“We don’t have any definitive plans at this point regarding how we’ll handle it,” Redick commented. “We’ve certainly discussed it within our coaching staff and have considered what that pairing might look like on the court. However, we’re holding off on any commitments until we can have a thorough discussion that includes Bronny and LeBron as well.”
During a preseason press conference on Wednesday, both Redick and general manager Rob Pelinka expressed their enthusiasm about this unique pairing. Redick believes that the opportunity to have LeBron and Bronny on the court together can only bring good things, expressing confidence that family dynamics will not pose any issues.
“I don’t see it as a challenge unlike any other coaching relationship,” Redick remarked. “It’s all about fostering that connection.”
Pelinka humorously shared a story from a recent work out scrimmage: “Perhaps the real challenge is on Bronny. In our pickup game, he ended up matched up against LeBron, who then took him baseline for an impressive shot. Let’s just say the discussion that followed might have been the most challenging part of the exchange.”
As of now, the Lakers have not publicly stated how long Bronny, who will turn 20 during training camp, will remain on the NBA roster alongside his iconic father, who will celebrate his 40th birthday in December.
While there hasn’t been an official confirmation, it appears that Bronny James may spend a significant portion of this upcoming season in the G League to hone his skills. After suffering a cardiac arrest during an offseason workout, he participated in only 25 games during his freshman year at the University of Southern California.
Still, Pelinka and Redick are very optimistic about Bronny’s potential as a contributing player in the NBA. Redick stated, “I feel fortunate to coach Bronny. He has plenty of youthful energy and inherent skills that can be shaped into a strong NBA player. Plus, he’s a great kid and very receptive to coaching, bringing the right attitude and enthusiasm every day.”
LeBron recently enjoyed a vacation following his gold medal victory with Team USA at the Paris Olympics, but according to Redick, he is already back in training and working hard.
This offseason, the Lakers’ front office made no major moves, largely due to the constraints of their key players’ contracts and the new league systems that complicate roster enhancements, according to Pelinka.
Thus, the Lakers’ roster surrounding the James family remains fairly similar to the team that reached the Western Conference Finals in 2023, despite finishing eighth in the West before falling to Denver in the first round. The team was never considered elite, even with several healthy games from LeBron and Anthony Davis, both seasoned players who have faced injury challenges in prior seasons.
Pelinka mentioned he would be willing to trade one of the team’s two tradeable first-round picks if a deal promised “sustainable Lakers excellence.” He also indicated a possibility to trade one pick for a “marginal upgrade” that he felt was justified.
Some players, including Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, and Jalen Hood-Schifino, are healthy and ready for the upcoming training camp, although not all will be prepared for next week’s workouts.
Christian Wood is set to be re-evaluated in six weeks following left knee surgery earlier this month. Additionally, Pelinka shared that Jarred Vanderbilt, a defensive-focused player who appeared in just 29 games last season due to a foot injury, underwent successful procedures on both feet earlier in the offseason. Pelinka remains hopeful that Vanderbilt will be fit to play by opening night on October 22.
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