CHARLES Barkley’s early-season remarks about Lakers rookie Bronny James were right on the money.
After a slow start, the former USC guard was forced into playing in the G League for the affiliate South Bay Lakers.
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Bronny has played home games for the South Bay and re-joined the Lakers’ NBA team when the G-League squad hits the road.
Back in November, Barkley appeared on The Bettor Angle show on the BetQL Network and criticized the Lakers’ handling of the 20-year-old.
The NBA Hall of Famer said: “Awful. I thought it was great, a little ceremony his first game. But the kid is not ready to play in the NBA.
“He should be in the G-League so he can play basketball. It’s not fair to the team. Can you imagine the coach of that team?
“You come off a road trip and you have a player you haven’t seen in a week or two.”
Bronny and LeBron James made history as the first father-son duo in the NBA, but that wasn’t enough to keep Bronny around.
Despite playing some solid performances in his last three G-League games, Bronny has struggled in the NBA.
LeBron’s eldest son was given 15 minutes of NBA playing time against the Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday.
He finished with three rebounds, one assist and one block while shooting 0/5 from the field and 0/3 from the three-point range.
And Barkley previously said Bronny needs to develop and work on his game before sitting on the Lakers bench.
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In October 2024, he told TNT: “He’s not ready to play in the NBA right now. He should be in the G League, because he’s not ready to play in the NBA first and foremost.
“Secondly, there’s gonna be some guys coming for his head. He’s not ready. He’s really a tweener, he’s a point guard, two guard.
“His best attribute right now is being a defender. I think to take the pressure off him and let him get better as a player.”
Bronny has found his footing in the G-League, which Barkley thought would improve his overall game.
He provided a 30-point explosion against the Valley Suns and a solid 16-point, five-assist showing at the Winter Showcase in Orlando.
In total, Bronny has appeared in 13 NBA games for the Lakers.
But the Lakers’ investment in LeBron James’ son has proven lucrative off the court – generating over $50 million in jersey sales alone.
And LeBron and Bronny’s Opening Night jerseys sold for $102,000 at Sotheby.
South Bay Lakers president Joey Buss’s said that they would remain “fluid” with Bronny’s G League schedule.
The ultimate success of Bronny James’s professional career remains unwritten.
Time for LeBron to retire?
“At the end of the day, I hate to say it, but I believe this in my soul right now – I wish LeBron James would retire.
“Not because I don’t want to see more of LeBron James, not because I don’t appreciate LeBron James.
“But I honestly believe deep down inside, the more LeBron James continues to play the game of basketball, the more it’s going to hurt his legacy and the more it’s going to continue to hurt his GOAT argument.
“As long as he steps foot on that floor, every single season, there’s gonna expectations of him winning a championship.
“And when he don’t do that, we’re gonna be looking at him saying: ‘Well what happened now?'”
ESPN star Kendrick Perkins speaking on First Take about LeBron James’ future in the NBA
