By now, the Los Angeles Lakers have initiated their season plan for Bronny James, who was sent down to the G League following the Lakers five-game road trip. However, the plan surrounding Bronny’s development and how LA plans to curate it is causing a stir and drawing expected controversy. ESPN’s senior NBA writer Brian Windhorst issues his concern with the matter, but it’s not what you might expect.
Nepotism Isn’t the Problem with Lakers Plan for Bronny James
Senior NBA Writer Waves off Nepotism and Favouritism in Bronny James Case
Nepotism? So what? Favoritism? Whatever! Those are essentially Windhorst’s feelings on the Lakers planning to have Bronny suit up for Lakers home games but send him to the South Bay Lakers when the adults go on the road. There’s no word on plans for players like Quincy Olivari, Christian Koloko, and Jalen Hood-Schifino. As far as we know, it’s just for Bronny.
Whether you believe this to be a classic case of favoritism or nepotism, should it matter? Windhorst puts himself in that category—‘I don’t care,’ were his exact words. However, there is another matter that Windhorst does highlight that should be taken seriously. On his Hoop Collective podcast, he explained his concerns.
“I know he’s getting somewhat special treatment and nepotism. That’s fine; honestly, I don’t care. Like I said, it’s normal. Now, I think it’s actually detrimental to him. I don’t like that. I don’t know whose idea it was, but obviously, the Lakers are fine with it—they’re doing it. On this particular instance, I think that’s gone too far, and I don’t think it benefits Bronny. I don’t think it benefits the South Bay Lakers, and I don’t think it benefits LeBron at this point.”
So, this situation could be one of three things. One: the Lakers are arrogant in their view of Bronny as an NBA-ready-now player. Two: JJ Redick is simply just smarter than everyone else. Perhaps he sees something in Bronny’s development persuading enough to want Bronny on the bench for home games. Or three, and I shutter to say it because the long-rumored notion that LeBron James has by night shadowed as the GM and head coach of all his teams is rubbish. But, three, LeBron pressured upstairs on this one. You pick.
Why Windhorst is Right
Development—it’s all about development and getting Bronny from point A to point B. For players who are not ready to step into point B, they spend time in point A—the G League. It’s puzzling what Bronny can learn on the NBA level playing the last 1:30 of a game when Max Christie is generally the only player taking shots in that time. Perhaps Redick and Rob Pelinka see enough in Bronny to validate that at least being an observer from the bench is more productive than playing minutes for South Bay.
The reasons are what they are. However, you have to believe that Bronny would learn more about playing the game of basketball if he were playing the game of basketball. In the G League, he’s likely starting every game. He’s also getting reps with some of the young players like himself—players who might potentially follow him up to the NBA in a year or two. Windhorst is right not to care because, yes, the Los Angeles Lakers will always do whatever they want to do. They’ve earned that right and have leaned on it regularly over the years. He’s also right in saying this plan has the means to cramp Bronny’s development rather than raise it.
