Los Angeles Lakers rookie Bronny James has made six NBA appearances and two G League appearances this season. Selected 55th overall in the 2024 NBA draft, James was expected to spend more time with the South Bay Lakers than he has so far.
Only playing in G League home games, Bronny James has remained with the NBA team and his father, LeBron James, when South Bay is on the road. While Bronny James is already not part of LA’s rotation, he has also been inactive the last three games due to a left heel contusion.
James had been appearing on injury reports as doubtful with this heel issue but was ruled out entirely for the Lakers’ game against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. LA lost this game 127-102, dropping to 10-6 on the season.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and guard Bronny James (9)
© Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
With the South Bay Lakers home for the next two games, the team announced a roster move on Sunday.
“Lakers say they have assigned guard Bronny James and forward Maxwell Lewis to the South Bay Lakers,” Trevor Lane of Lakers Nation wrote on X.
Bronny James did not play in South Bay’s loss to the Stockton Kings on Sunday. It is unclear if the rookie guard will recover from his heel contusion in time for Tuesday’s game against the San Diego Clippers, but his assignment to the G League makes it seem like that is a possibility.
It also feels notable that the Lakers made this roster move after South Bay hosted Stockton on Sunday because had Bronny James been healthy enough to play, he would have likely been sent down for that contest.
The Lakers are beginning a two-game road trip on Tuesday that includes stops in Phoenix and San Antonio. With their latest roster move, the Lakers will seemingly be leaving James in El Segundo to be with the G League team.
