After struggling in his Summer League debut, Los Angeles Lakers second-round pick Bronny James didn’t suit up for the team’s next game due to knee swelling.
Lakers reporter Mike Trudell posted on X that James is dealing with “trace swelling” in his left knee, and he was held out of the back-to-back against the Golden State Warriors for precautionary reasons.
Lakers fans shouldn’t wait long to see James back on the court, though, as he’s expected to play in Wednesday’s final California Classic Game against the Miami Heat.
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Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James Jr. is shown during the game against the Sacramento Kings at Chase Center in San Francisco on July 6, 2024. (Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports)
James, who the Lakers took with the No. 55 pick in this year’s NBA Draft, got the start in his first professional action on Saturday night. However, he didn’t have the greatest performance in the 108-94 loss to the Sacramento Kings.
James shot just 2 of 9 for four points with two rebounds and two assists over 22 minutes on the court. He missed all three of his three-point shots, and he couldn’t hit either of his two free throws.
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On the defensive end, James collected his first steal of the Summer League, though he posted a minus-15 when he was on the floor.
Dalton Knecht, the Lakers’ first-round pick out of Tennessee, also struggled for Los Angeles. He shot 3 of 12 but went 5 of 9 from the charity stripe for 12 total points over 26 minutes.
The Lakers’ top performer came off the bench as forward Blake Hinson had 17 points after draining 5 of 7 of his 3-pointers and hitting his two free throws.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James Jr. scores a basket against the Sacramento Kings at Chase Center in San Francisco on July 6, 2024. (Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports)
This is just one game for the young James, son of superstar LeBron James, who is in Las Vegas preparing for the Paris Olympics with his Team USA squad.
James noted during his introductory press conference that he didn’t get “that much of an opportunity” to “showcase what I can really do” during his freshman season at USC. He averaged less than five points per game after getting a late start to his college career due to a cardiac arrest he suffered while working out with the team in July.
James had surgery to repair a congenital heart defect.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James Jr. is shown during the game against the Sacramento Kings at Chase Center in San Francisco on July 6, 2024. (Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports)
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Now, James looks to silence the naysayers and doubters who didn’t believe he should’ve been drafted this year. These games are all about development, and according to ESPN, James should be spending most of the year in the G League with the South Bay Lakers.
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