LeBron and Bronny James could be the first father-son duo to play in the NBA. Lakers coach JJ Redick is at least planning this, but sees the competition in the West as the biggest challenge.
In El Segundo, California, new Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick is preparing for a potentially historic season. He plans to put LeBron James and his son Bronny James on the court together as the first father-son duo in NBA history.
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“We’ve talked about it as a team and discussed some details,” Redick said during a press conference with Rob Pelinka, the Lakers’ vice president of basketball operations. “But we haven’t committed to anything yet. There will be a discussion that Bronny and LeBron should be part of.”
NBA: A look into the future
LeBron, 39, is entering his 22nd season, while Bronny, 19, is entering the NBA as a rookie after a year at USC.
The Lakers selected him with the 55th pick in the second round. Although the regular season doesn’t begin until October 22, when the Lakers host the Minnesota Timberwolves, the team has already gotten a taste of James’ dynamic during a practice game.
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Pelinka reported: “Bronny was put on LeBron, and LeBron took him at the baseline, dove under the basket and stuffed it in.” There followed a fair amount of trash talk between father and son.
LeBron shared the moment on Instagram, writing, “Great defense. Better offense.”
Redick’s challenge: The fight in the West
For Redick, who is leaving his career as a commentator and podcaster behind, the task of managing the James family is not particularly difficult.
“I don’t see it as a challenge,” Redick said. “Bronny is young, hungry and has a lot of innate skills that we can mold. He’s a fantastic kid, extremely coachable and brings the right energy every day.”
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The bigger challenge is keeping the Lakers competitive in a highly competitive Western Conference, and the team returns largely unchanged after being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
Pelinka reported that Gabe Vincent and Jalen Hood-Schifino are back from injuries, while Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood are still dealing with injuries. “We are optimistic that Vanderbilt will be available for the start of the season,” Pelinka said.
Internal development as key for Lakers
Pelinka and Redick stressed the importance of internal development of key players such as Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura. Redick plans to begin with the same starting lineup that finished 23-10 last season.
Pelinka explained that the Lakers would be willing to trade their future first-round picks to improve the team, but not at the expense of long-term planning.
“Our philosophy is to build sustainable Lakers excellence,” Pelinka said. “Every step must lead to sustainable success.”
