Charles Barkley breaks silence on Lakers’ handling of LeBron James’ son Bronny James (Image Credit: Imagn)
LA Lakers rookie guard Bronny James has been heavily scrutinized to begin his NBA career. However, according to TNT’s Charles Barkley, LA placed James in an undesirable situation that is stifling his development.
After being selected No. 55 in this year’s NBA draft, James, son of Lakers superstar forward LeBron James, promptly faced nepotism claims. The rookie did little to quiet his detractors over his first six outings, averaging 0.7 points on 16.7% shooting in 2.7 minutes per game.
Amid his offensive struggles, James was assigned to LA’s NBA G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, earlier this month. However, rather than keep him there for an extended period, LA has alternated the rookie between the two leagues.
James only plays home contests with South Bay and is called back up to the Lakers whenever the development squad goes on road trips.
On “The Bettor Angle” over the weekend, Barkley lambasted LA’s strategy, noting that James needs consistent G League reps. According to the 1993 NBA MVP, the second-round draft pick oscillating between the NBA and G League is unfair for all involved.
“The kid is not ready to play in the NBA. He should be in the G League so he can play basketball,” Barkley said. “And also, this thing where he’s only gonna play home games, it’s stupid, it’s not fair to him. It’s not fair to the team.
“Can you imagine the coach of that team? You come off a road trip, and you have a player you haven’t seen in a week or two. And then you probably feel like you gotta play him. I don’t think they are doing Bronny any favors.”
Barkley added that the predicament has put the Lakers and LeBron in a bad light.
“They have just handled this thing very badly,” Barkley said. “It’s a bad look for the Lakers. I really like everything LeBron has done. But it’s a bad look for him (too), in my opinion.”
Bronny James off to rough start in G League as Charles Barkley criticizes Lakers
Amid Charles Barkley’s Lakers critique, Bronny James’ woes have continued in the G League.
Over his first two appearances with South Bay before sustaining a left heel injury, James made a limited impact in a featured role. He averaged 5.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.0 blocks and 3.0 turnovers, shooting 21.1% in 28.5 minutes a night.
While the rookie has shown flashes defensively, he has yet to hit a 3-pointer across eight NBA and G League outings. So, if James’ offensive shortcomings continue upon his return, LA may be forced to reconsider how it manages his development.
