Bronny James faces uncertain NBA future after Lakers assign him to G League

The Los Angeles Lakers assigned Bronny James and rookie Cameron Carr to the G League on Thursday, the team announced. James is no stranger to the Coachella Valley Lakers, having spent time with them across his first two seasons. Still, such an early G League assignment isn't exactly an encouraging start to his third NBA campaign.

James, the 22-year-old son of LeBron James, played for the Lakers in the playoffs last season out of desperation due injuries, but when the team has been closer to full strength, he has failed to earn more than spot minutes in his first two NBA seasons. He struggled mightily in the preseason this year, as he shot just 4 of 16 from the field. And while he has always been a defense-first player, his size -- 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds -- has limited his upside on that side of the floor.

"I thought he had a really nice September and a good summer with us, but I don't think he's played well in the four preseason games," Lakers coach JJ Redick said in October.

Despite those preseason struggles, James survived final cuts as the Lakers ultimately waived former No. 17 overall pick Dalton Knecht to get their roster down to 15 players. The move was relatively surprising considering their draft status. While both Knecht and James have fallen short of the team's hopes for them, Knecht was a former first-round pick who had at least held a consistent rotation role early in his rookie season. He fell off after a failed trade to the Charlotte Hornets, but teams typically like to give their own first-round picks as many opportunities as possible to succeed.

Knecht has since signed a two-way contract with the defending NBA champion New York Knicks. He appeared in his first game on Wednesday, a blowout win over the Chicago Bulls, and he notched 10 points in 16 minutes. By comparison, James has scored four points in 12 minutes spread across five appearances this season.

James was drafted in 2024 and became the first player in NBA history to share the court with his father. Now the elder James is a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, and both teams are doing well after their separation. The 76ers have the NBA's best record at 8-1, and the Lakers aren't far behind at 7-2. But with his father gone and the Lakers thriving in his absence, the younger James is in a somewhat precarious position moving forward. His name carries less weight with the organization than it once did, and a team with championship ambitions isn't going to be willing to wait on the development of a second-round pick forever.

James' contract is guaranteed through the end of this season, but not guaranteed afterward. If he doesn't show progress quickly, he could be a trade candidate at the deadline or simply not retained after the season.