- NBA. Bronny James falters during first Lakers game: Your daddy talked a lot
- NBA. Bronny James and the Lakers are under renewed scrutiny for potential NBA violation: No one's buying this
Bronny James has yet to play a single minute of professional basketball, but he is already one of the NBA's most-discussed players. The son of LeBron James is expected to suit up with his dad on opening night of the 2024/25 season -- and they will become the first father-son duo ever to play together in the NBA.
Of course, Bronny ing the Los Angeles Lakers was not exactly an organic development. Agent Rich Paul -- and LeBron himself -- made clear to other teams that they wanted to steer Bronny to LA in the 2024 draft, and the Lakers ended up selecting him with the 55th overall pick last month. Bronny was then handed a four-year deal that will pay him $4.4 million guaranteed -- and there is another newly-discovered clause in the contract that is putting the Lakers under more scrutiny.
Analysts mock the Lakers for handing Bronny a check immediately
As part of his four-year contract with the Lakers -- already highly-unusual for a late second-round pick -- Bronny was also given a $500,000 advance, a further wrinkle in the debate around whether his selection was based on merit versus nepotism.
"It helps to get set up, you know, you're at your first job," ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst jokingly said on a recent episde of "Hoop Collective." "You know, you've got to buy clothes and furniture."
"Is that a raise or a pay cut from his allowance?" co-host Tim MacMahon quipped in response.
Windhorst's comments speak to the popular view that Bronny has been given an unfair advantage because of his bloodline. Even though Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and new head coach J.J. Redick have praised Bronny's character and work ethic, no one can deny LeBron's influence over the proceedings -- or the perks being afforded to this particular rookie.
It all adds up to what should be a fascinating preseason and debut season in the NBA for Bronny, who has a lot of work to do to dispel the notion that he is nothing more than a "nepo baby."