LeBron James chose to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers, and that move has pushed Bronny James right back into the center of Bronny James trade rumors around the Los Angeles Lakers. The shift does not change Bronny’s age or his place in the league, but it changes the spotlight around him, and that is enough to make every word about his future matter.
That is why Devean George’s comments are landing now. The former Lakers forward, who won three championships with the team, said in a TMZ interview that the 21-year-old should be allowed to forge his own path in Los Angeles. “I think it’s a good situation for him,” George said. “I think he needs to space away from his dad, my opinion.” He added, “Let him do his own thing,” before saying, “Okay, he got here -- what can you do?”
George’s point goes beyond family ties. He said the younger James has been “babied” through his career so far and deserves the chance to take on more responsibility as he enters his third year in the league. In his view, the Lakers should give James room to develop now that he is out from under his legendary father’s wing. The argument is simple: if Bronny is going to last, he has to show more consistency, and that will matter more than any name on the back of the jersey.
That leaves the real question hanging over the Lakers. The reported move by LeBron has changed the frame, but it has not answered whether the Lakers plan to keep Bronny James where he is or move him elsewhere. For now, the best read is that the team’s next decision will say as much about his development as it does about the family story around him.
