Did the Los Angeles Lakers put unnecessary pressure on themselves by drafting Bronny James?

The NBA world continues to buzz about the notion that LeBron James will actually have the opportunity to play with his son Bronny on the Los Angeles Lakers. While the family reunion of sorts is a feel-good story, there may be intense heightened scrutiny that he and the team will have to face during the 2024-2025 NBA season as a result.

As Sports Reference has documented, Bronny only averaged 4.8 points and 2.8 rebounds during his freshman season at the University of Southern California. The New York Times wrote in February 2024 that Bronny’s college performance was a far cry from what a legitimate NBA prospect looks like. There are many who share the belief that Bronny didn’t earn his NBA spot.

NBC Sports reported that Bronny’s agent Rich Paul told teams that his client would not be signing a two-way contract. While he can still be assigned to the G-League, Bronny and his agent’s proclamation indicates a level of entitlement that many think his talents do not warrant.

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With that said, it’ll be interesting to see how much influence LeBron James has over Bronny’s development with the Lakers. Will the father insist that his son remain on the Lakers’ roster so he can rub elbows with established NBA competition? Is Los Angeles’ front office going to even consider what LeBron James has to say in the matter?

Perhaps LeBron James and general manager Rob Pelinka have hashed all this out prior to Bronny being drafted, but the subplot and potential for disagreement on a very personal issue looms large here. This will be closely monitored by the media, and both LeBron and Pelinka may have to answer more questions about this than they were prepared for.

As if the LeBron James-Bronny James angle wasn’t enough to fill a compelling script, Los Angeles hired former NBA player J.J. Redick as their new coach days before the draft. Redick doesn’t have any prior NBA coaching experience, and had a podcast with LeBron James shortly before he was brought on to the team.

As reported by Yardbarker, Shaquille O’Neal doesn’t believe for a second that LeBron James didn’t have anything to do with Redick being hired. “Everything goes through LeBron,” O’Neal said. While this may or may not be true, the perception might be that LeBron James already had Redick in his back pocket. That viewpoint might also drive observations about how Redick treats Bronny.

How will Redick approach his communication with LeBron James, and with Bronny in light of this unusual history? As reported by Heavy’s website, Pelinka told the media, “Coach Redick is already excited about putting a development plan around him (Bronny) to increase his basketball skills and turn them into the player we think can impact this franchise.”

While this sounds all well and good, it’s unclear how this will actually play out. It’s not reasonable to expect Redick to spend the majority of his time personally working with a player who was drafted at the end of the second round. Additionally, if the plan hits a bump, will Redick have the time or wherewithal to pivot? Will LeBron James force his hand?

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It feels like there’s a world in which Redick struggles to find the right balance of developing Bronny, while also focusing on the needs of the entire team. The Lakers are always focused on making the playoffs and going on a title run, so Redick will likely catch criticism from someone who thinks his priorities aren’t where they should be.

In addition to the aforementioned stumbling blocks, there’s also the potential for Bronny James to get real NBA minutes alongside his father. While this will be a cool moment in NBA history, questions about how this could work would circle around Redick and his coaching staff.

Given that Bronny has played basketball with LeBron James his entire life, there’s reason to believe that the chemistry between the two of them would be off the charts. However, it’s anything but certain as to how the pair would operate with other teammates on the floor, and how other professional players would guard Bronny.

LeBron James is one of the best players in the NBA history, and has made the correct decision with the ball in his hands as much as any player ever. With that said, would he turn down the opportunity to pass to an open Bronny in the corner, if he knows deep down that his son is struggling with his jump shot? These are awkward scenarios that might make the experience strenuous.

Being the son of LeBron James can’t be easy, but now that Bronny is in the NBA, the pressure on him to live up to his name will be through the roof. It seems pretty clear that Bronny and LeBron are not averse to hard work, but fans will be closely watching to see if Bronny has some of the same magic his father possesses.

CBS Sports believes that LeBron James would be best served staying out of the way of the Lakers’ staff when it comes to making decisions that are best for Bronny and the team. It’s a sensible idea, but it’s much easier said than done. The microscope on all the major people in this arrangement will be laser focused.

The time that LeBron James and Bronny will spend together on the court is priceless, so from a familial bond angle it’s hard to criticize. However, it’ll be interesting to see how this arrangement affects everyone involved in the near future and in the distant future, when LeBron James and Bronny James can speak candidly about their experiences.

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