The LA Lakers’ preseason yielded mixed results, with only two wins from six games. While rookies displayed some promise, none have truly stood out. Bronny James, still gaining confidence, caught attention alongside Quincy Olivari, particularly for obvious reasons. This raises the question: will JJ Redick trust him for the opening game against the Wolves on October 22?

Bronny’s preseason highlight came against the Warriors, where he scored 17 points in 35 minutes. That performance showcased what the basketball world can expect from the 20-year-old. Doubts linger about his playing time against the Wolves, as Austin Reaves might take the spotlight. However, with three players sidelined by injuries, Bronny could see action in the second quarter. NBA Insider Brian Windhorst hinted, “Be in your seat at the start of the 2nd quarter,” as long as the game is going okay.

Injury reports are in. Jovan Buha of The Athletic confirms that Jarred Vanderbilt, Christian Wood, and Christian Koloko will miss the game against the Wolves. Vanderbilt is recovering from offseason foot surgery, while Wood is rehabbing a knee injury. With these frontcourt players out, Bronny James’ regular season debut seems more likely. Even if James Jr. says, “I don’t know” or “No” about his playing time, there’s definitely something brewing within the squad.

Reports indicate the Lakers are planning a historic moment with Bronny and LeBron James walking onto the court together. We witnessed their first appearance in the preseason game against the Phoenix Suns on Oct 6, where the Lakers lost 114-118. The father-son duo is eager to turn the tables for the Purple and Gold. Rumors suggest we might see Bronny’s regular season debut even earlier, possibly before the second quarter. Excitement is building!

The LA Lakers are looking forward to an ‘early’ Bronny James and LeBron James moment in the regular season

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Tuesday’s SportsCenter: “The Lakers plan that LeBron James, Bronny James make history as the first father-son duo to be on the court at the same time likely to come early in the game as long as it’s competitive and it’s a flowing game as far as where the Lakers are at early on in that game.” However, coach JJ Redick has also revealed, as per Charania that they’ve not yet decided this matter. Nonetheless, the squad has been in discussion on this for a while and it won’t be too long before James Jr. and James Sr. go hand in hand in the court as well.

Amidst all the rumors and reports, possibilities, and probabilities, Bronny James’ skepticism about his regular season debut prevails. Speaking to the media ahead of the game vs. Wolves, the 20-year-old shared that he thinks there won’t be enough time for him to go onto the floor. Well, only the game and the lineup will reveal if James’ doubts are valid or not. However, his promising performance in the last game against the Dubs has raised the expectations of the fans and squad.

Can Bronny James become the flagbearer of hope for the Lakers? Surely, he has the potential, but to fulfill the possible dreams, playing time is required. So to reconstruct the question again, will Bronny get his playing time to show what he’s capable of? Amidst all the injuries and an underwhelming preseason, the Purple and Gold are yet to set the tone for the 2024/25 NBA season. What awaits them further is as mysterious as Bronny’s regular season debut rumors. So, watch out as the season unfolds, one game at a time.