As the 2024 NBA Draft approached, the entire league was aware of the Los Angeles Lakers’ interest in selecting Bronny James.
On draft night, general manager Rob Pelinka made LeBron James’ dream come true. Now that the father-son duo is finally on the same team, the younger James will have his work cut out for him in Los Angeles. So what can we expect from the USC draftee’s first year?
James played one season at USC after a scare during an offseason workout with the team. Despite that scare, the versatile point guard defied the odds and still managed to play in 25 games and six starts for the Trojans. James averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists on 36.6 percent shooting. While the stats aren’t stellar, Los Angeles opted to take a chance on the 19-year-old and give him a chance to develop behind his father.
Now, in this first year, it’s hard to have expectations for James after the second-round pick signed a four-year guaranteed contract. While most second-round picks typically sign two-way deals to start their professional journey, James’ agent Rich Paul indicated that the only contract his client would sign would be a guaranteed deal, and that’s what he did.
Even though James avoided a two-way contract, that doesn’t mean the talented guard won’t spend the majority of his time in the G League developing. After averaging 8.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and one assist in four Summer League games, it’s clear that James still has plenty of room to grow despite the expectations fans have set simply by his father’s identity.
James will likely play the majority of the season with the South Bay Lakers, barring a huge performance in camp and preseason. Still, James will travel to some games with the Lakers and may get a chance to play in single-elimination games or matchups where Los Angeles is shorthanded.
All things considered, freshman expectations for James should be tempered until the USC alum has more time to develop.
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