'Bronny James isn't just your everyday G League player' - Shams defends James Jr. not playing road games for South Bay Lakers

There is a chance

While Bronny's game has not been "must-see-TV," the name alone has been a big draw and point of interest for fans. In the two contests James Jr. has appeared in so far, the crowd has been packed, and the coverage has been more extensive than ever.

Although the USC product put up just 5.0 points, 3.0 assists, and 2.5 rebounds on 21.1% shooting in his first two G Leauge games, the crowd loved seeing Bronny on the court for an extended period. With more time and chances to acclimate to his new teammates, the 6'3'' guard could put up better numbers and improve, but that will be hard to accomplish in this kind of setup.

Shams thinks we could see the 20-year-old playing road games for South Bay later in the season, but for now, they want to keep him around the Lakers roster as much as possible.

"I don't think the door is necessarily completely shut on him playing in those road games as the G League season goes on. But right now, that is the plan the Lakers have laid out, and they want him to continue to shuttle back and forth, spending as much time on the active roster as possible. It is very typical for a second-round pick to shuttle back and forth with the G League," Charania added.

Metta also came to Bronny's defense

Obviously, many people in the NBA world have their stance on James Jr. and the commotion around him. Former player Metta Sandiford-Artest recently shared his support for the Lakers rookie, voicing optimism about Bronny's game, saying he has time to improve.

"I think he's doing very well. He's not underachieving," said the 2010 NBA champion. "I mean, people can say what they want, but at the end of the day, he has an NBA body. He's only 19, maybe 20. He's not the first 19-year-old to not be like what he will be when he's 25. I came into the NBA averaging like 11 points, my game went to the next level when I was 24. John Stockton didn't play, I guess, for the first two years. I think Bronny deserves it."

If one thing is obvious, it is that Bronny is not a competent NBA player right now. Giving him time to grow in the G League would be the best course of action for James Jr., but for obvious reasons, that is hard to manage right now.

The Lakers and LeBron want to keep him around the A-team as much as possible, and all the fanfare he is getting, no matter where the Purple & Gold go, is good for business. But if they want LeBron James Jr. to even sniff the career his dad had, he will need to put in the work and not just be a name that draws fans.