Charles Barkley is not a fan of how the Los Angeles Lakers are handling rookie Bronny James’ introduction to professional basketball. The NBA legend didn’t mince words when he called out both the team and Bronny’s father, LeBron James, over their decision to shuffle the 20-year-old between the NBA and the G League.
Speaking on the Bettor Angle podcast, Barkley criticized the approach, saying, “They’ve handled it terribly. Sure, it was nice to celebrate his first game, but the truth is, the kid isn’t ready for the NBA.”
Barkley went on to explain why he thinks the G League is where Bronny should be focusing right now. “He needs to be playing basketball, not just sitting on the bench. This plan where he only plays home games? It’s ridiculous. It’s not fair to him, it’s not fair to the team, and honestly, I feel bad for his coach.”
According to Barkley, the setup creates unnecessary challenges for everyone involved. “Imagine coming back from a road trip and suddenly you’ve got a player who hasn’t been with the team in weeks, but you’re supposed to put him in. It’s a bad look for the Lakers and, unfortunately, for LeBron too. I think LeBron has done so many great things in his career, but this just doesn’t feel right.”
Bronny, who’s been playing with the South Bay Lakers in the G League, has had a modest start, averaging five points and three assists in about 28 minutes per game. Despite the Lakers announcing earlier this month that Bronny would officially join the South Bay roster, critics have questioned whether the plan to split his time between the NBA and G League gives him an unfair advantage.
Lakers coach JJ Redick defended the decision, saying it was part of the plan from the start. “This was always the idea,” Redick explained back in October. “Rob [Pelinka], LeBron, and I discussed this from day one. But like anything, the plan could change based on how things go.”
For now, Bronny’s basketball journey is under the microscope, and opinions on his development plan remain divided. Whether this strategy works in his favor or not, only time will tell.
