Bronny James to split time between Lakers, G League
Fri Oct 25 4:18pm ET
Field Level Media
Bronny James will continue sharing the court with his legendary father on the Los Angeles Lakers' upcoming road trip before switching to a shuttle between the active roster and the Lakers' South Bay G League affiliate, ESPN reported Friday.
Bronny James made history with his father, LeBron James, in Tuesday's season-opening win against the Minnesota Timberwolves, when the pair became the first father-son duo to play together in an NBA game.
After home games on Friday and Saturday, the Lakers hit the road for the following five games, starting Oct. 28 against the host Phoenix Suns and ending Nov. 6 in Memphis, with stops in Cleveland, Toronto and Detroit along the way.
Wednesday's matchup against the Cavaliers is expected to be a highlight of the trip, serving as a homecoming of sorts for the pair. A native of Akron, Ohio, LeBron was drafted by Cleveland with the No. 1 pick in the 2003 NBA Draft and spent the first seven years of his career there, before later adding another four seasons in Cleveland. Bronny was born in October of 2004, as his father was preparing for his second season in Cleveland.
Both LeBron and Lakers coach J.J. Redick anticipated that Bronny would spend time honing his skills in the G League.
"Just (looking forward to) seeing him continue to grow as a basketball player no matter if it's here with us or if it's down with the G League team and him continuing to get better and better and better," LeBron said at media day in September. "His job is to put the work in and get better and better, just like the rest of us. And we want to hold him accountable, and he's going to hold us accountable. And if we all do that, we all get better, because we're all one team. We're a reflection of South Bay; South Bay is a reflection of us."
First-year coach Redick has expressed a desire to establish an elite player development program utilizing the G League.
"For us, prioritizing player development, we view Bronny as like, case study one, because his base level of feel, athleticism, point-of-attack defender, shooting, passing, there's a lot to like about his game," Redick said in July, per ESPN. "And as we sort of build out our player development program holistically, he's going to have a great opportunity to become an excellent NBA player."
Bronny James didn't score in three minutes of play in the season-opening win over the Timberwolves, after playing in six preseason games, averaging 16.2 minutes and 4.2 points per game.
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Houston Rockets guard Dillon Brooks (knee) is available ahead of Friday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies. He was considered probable coming into this game, but will officially be active now. Brooks struggled during the season opener as he only connected on 1-of-6 field goal attempts. The 28-year-old finished with two points and three rebounds across 31 minutes of action. Brooks has some deep league value, but isn't worth rostering in most fantasy formats right now.
Houston Rockets forward Cam Whitmore (knee) is available ahead of Friday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Whitemore was able to play through the knee issue on Wednesday, so it appears to be a minor issue. He finished with four points across eight minutes of action. He's unlikely to see consistent playing time with Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks (knee) both healthy. The 20-year-old can probably be avoided in most fantasy formats right now.
Indiana Pacers center Isaiah Jackson (groin) is available ahead of Friday's game against the New York Knicks. The big man is set to make his season debut after sitting out the season opener. Normally, Jackson's status isn't noteworthy, but he's now the primary backup center with James Wiseman (Achilles) done for the season. The assumption is that Jackson will absorb some of the playing time that Wiseman was going to get this season. Unfortunately, Jackson probably will still only see minutes in the teens, which makes him tough to trust while Myles Turner is healthy.
Charlotte Hornets forward Josh Green (Achilles) is available ahead of Friday's game against the Atlanta Hawks. Green appears ready to make his team debut after missing Wednesday's contest. Green could see a larger role in the rotation than normal with Brandon Miller (glute) sidelined for at least a week. The 23-year-old didn't light up the box score last season, but he could be a decent contributor if he's given enough playing time. Green has some low-end streaming appeal with the Hornets shorthanded without Miller.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) is available for Friday's game versus the Bulls. He was also on the injury report ahead of the opener against the 76ers. However, it didn't stop The Freak from finishing with 25 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists. With Khris Middleton (ankles) still sidelined, Antetokounmpo may continue to flourish. While fantasy managers already had intentions of starting him, he could be more productive than anticipated.
Charlotte Hornets forward Tidjane Salaun (finger) has been upgraded to available ahead of Friday's game against the Atlanta Hawks. The rookie forward is set to make his season debut after sitting out on Opening Night. Salaun figures to be a rotational piece to begin the season. He could immediately get consistent minutes with Brandon Miller (glute) already sidelined. His absence could mean that Josh Green shifts over to shooting guard which should given Cody Martin and Salaun more minutes at small forward. For now, fantasy managers can use a wait and see approach with Salaun.
Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. (calf) will suit up for Friday's meeting with the Chicago Bulls. He appeared on the injury report because of a calf contusion. However, it's apparent the injury won't be enough to keep him off the floor. Trent played relatively well in the opener versus the 76ers on Wednesday, finishing with 11 points and two rebounds. With Khris Middleton (ankles) still on the shelf, Trent could benefit on the scoring end even more on Friday night, giving him some upside for those participating in deeper fantasy setups.
Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (hamstring) has been ruled out ahead of Friday's game against the Houston Rockets. As expected, Jackson will miss his second straight game due to a hamstring issue. It sounds like Jackson is trending in the right direction, so hopefully he's available for Saturday's contest versus the Orlando Magic. Santi Aldama figures to remain in the starting five for at least one more game. He finished with 27 points, five rebounds, and two assists across 31 minutes in the season opener. Aldama is looking like a reliable streaming option until Jackson is ready to play again.
Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (pelvis) will be sidelined for both Friday's matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers and Saturday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves due to a right pelvic contusion. With Quickley unable to play, Davion Mitchell is expected to step into the starting role for Friday's game. Mitchell logged 25 minutes off the bench in the season opener on Wednesday and will likely see increased responsibility as a starter. Quickley's next opportunity to return to action could be on Monday when the Raptors face the Denver Nuggets.
Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac (hip) will miss Friday's game against the Brooklyn Nets due to a left hip contusion. The 27-year-old left early in Wednesday's game versus the Miami Heat after just 11 minutes of play, where he posted three points and three rebounds. His absence will likely lead to an increase in minutes for Moritz Wagner and Wendell Carter. Isaac's next opportunity to get back on the court could be as soon as Saturday when the Magic take on the Memphis Grizzlies.
Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett (shoulder) won't play in Friday's meeting with Philadelphia. This will mark his second consecutive absence due to the AC joint injury sustained during the preseason. Luckily, he's been practicing of late, so it appears he's inching his way closer to a return. With Immanuel Quickley (Pelvis) also out, Scottie Barnes and Gradey Dick should lead the way offensively. At the same time, Ochai Agbaji and Davion Mitchell warrant streaming attention in deeper formats.
Miami Heat forward/center Kevin Love (personal) did not practice on Friday, and it's unclear if he will play on Saturday versus Charlotte. According to Adam Lichtenstein of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, It's not decided whether Love will travel with the team to Charlotte for the game. Love already sat out Wednesday's season opener against Orlando for personal reasons. It's been confirmed that Kel'el Ware (illness) will not be with the team, meaning Thomas Bryant and Nikola Jovic will be the only backup options behind starting center Bam Adebayo, should Love be unavailable. Matchups against the Hornets are typically good spots for centers. Houston's big man Alperen Sengun posted a huge line against them Wednesday night.
Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware (illness) has been ruled out for Saturday's matchup against Charlotte. He missed Friday's practice and will not travel to the game due to a stomach illness. Ware, the 15th pick of this year's draft, saw six minutes of action in his NBA debut on Wednesday versus Orlando. He went scoreless with one rebound. The 20-year-old played very well in the Summer League, but it looks like it will take some time until he carves out a consistent role for himself on the team. Ware's absence opens up additional playing time for Thomas Bryant, who contributed seven points, three rebounds, two assists, and one block in 16 minutes versus the Magic.
Miami Heat guard Josh Richardson (heel) practiced on Friday. He was able to put some work in after sitting out Wednesday's season opener against Orlando. With him back in practice, it shouldn't take long until Richardson returns to the lineup. The team is scheduled to face Charlotte in its next game on Saturday. Richardson is a versatile backcourt option for the Heat, although he tends to be very injury-prone. The 31-year-old made 43 appearances last term, averaging 9.9 points with 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists. He will be battling for backup guard minutes with Duncan Robinson and Alec Burks once he's ready to play.
Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Brandon Miller (glute) is set to miss at least a week of action. According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, Miller will be re-evaluated in one week after sustaining a left glute strain. The 21-year-old was hurt in Wednesday's season opener against Houston. Tre Mann and Seth Curry will have additional fantasy value during Miller's absence, with the former likely moving to the first unit. Mann put up 11.9 points with 4.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 28 starts last year. However, it must be noted that Mann's productive run came when LaMelo Ball was out of the lineup.
Golden State Warriors forward/center Draymond Green (knee) has received the green light to play in Friday's game against Utah. Following a good all-around effort in Wednesday's season opener against Portland, Green landed on the injury report ahead of Friday with a left knee contusion. However, the team has upgraded him from questionable to available. Green had eight points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block in just 20 minutes in Wednesday's blowout win. He should contribute even more on Friday night against the Jazz, as a competitive game is expected in Salt Lake City.
Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (hip) will play in Friday's matchup versus Utah. The Warriors have upgraded Curry from questionable to available. The veteran star is battling a hip issue early in the season. Curry opened Year 16 in the Association with a double-double on Wednesday against Portland, scoring 17 points and dishing out 10 assists. He was one rebound short of a triple-double in a blowout win. Fantasy managers should get a lot of value out of Curry again Friday night.
Golden State Warriors guard De'Anthony Melton (chest) makes an appearance on the official injury report on Friday. He's listed as questionable while dealing with a chest contusion on his right side. The two-way combo guard played 19 minutes off of the bench in their season opener on Wednesday and delivered 11 points, four assists, two rebounds, three steals, and one turnover. That game turned into a blowout though, so the rotation could be a bit different if the game doesn't get out of hand. If Melton can't suit up at all, Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, and Gary Payton II could see some more minutes.
Houston Rockets center Steven Adams (knee, calf) won't return to the floor just yet after being ruled out for the Friday night game against the Memphis Grizzlies. The veteran big man hasn't played since January 2023 since he's been recovering from his knee injury. Unfortunately, he also suffered a calf strain, but he was seen doing some work on the side at practice. While he sits this one out, Jock Landale should continue to back up Alperen Sengun while Tari Eason gets some more opportunities off of the bench as well.
Milwaukee Bucks guard/forward Khris Middleton (ankle) will miss another game as he still recovers from surgery in the offseason. The veteran hasn't been cleared for full participation in practice yet and the team said they were cautiously getting him ready to play, therefore he's officially been ruled out on Friday. While his timetable to return remains unclear, fantasy managers can continue to go to their backup plan. Gary Trent Jr. (calf) is also questionable, so if he doesn't play as well, look for Pat Connaughton and Delon Wright to receive a lot more opportunities against the Chicago Bulls.