The Los Angeles Lakers have removed Bronny James from their roster and assigned him to the G-League on a permanent basis. This intriguing decision followed NBA icon Charles Barkley’s critical comments regarding the treatment of LeBron James’ eldest son by the Lakers.
On Wednesday, the Lakers revealed that the rookie guard will now play exclusively for the South Bay Lakers. As a result, Bronny won’t be participating in Lakers games alongside his father anytime soon.
Bronny has been absent lately since former NFL star Ryan Clark criticized him for opting out of traveling to away games with the South Bay Lakers.
“What Has Bronny James Accomplished?” Clark (seen left) tweeted. “What makes Bronny James so special that he shouldn’t have to take a commercial flight?” Clark remarked during his podcast “The Pivot.”
“You don’t get special treatment because of your lineage. You earn different treatment through your capability to contribute,” Clark further asserted.
Charles Barkley was even more straightforward. “The kid isn’t ready for NBA action. He ought to be in the G League, where he can actually play basketball,” Barkley declared during a recent guest spot on the Bettor Angle podcast.
Barkley took aim at the Lakers and LeBron James for coddling Bronny. “Their approach has been terrible,” Barkley stated. “I thought it was nice, a little celebration for his first game. But the kid isn’t prepared for the NBA.”
“He needs to be in the G League to improve his game,” Barkley mentioned. “He’s not going to develop just sitting on the sidelines. This idea that he will play only home games? It’s absurd. It’s unfair to him and to the team. Can you envision the coach in that situation?”
Barkley expressed that Bronny’s decision to skip away games is unjust to his G League teammates and his coach.
“You return from a road trip and there’s a player you haven’t seen in a week or two. Then you have to feel obligated to play him. I don’t believe they are doing Bronny any favors. They’ve really mishandled this situation. It reflects poorly on the Lakers, and honestly, while I admire much of what LeBron has accomplished, this isn’t a good look for him, in my opinion,” he remarked.
Bronny made his G-League debut earlier this month. The team currently holds a 2-4 record this season.