Bronny James snagging a standard spot with the Lakers was controversial, but wait, it only gets worse! To make room for him, the team had to part ways with rookie guard Quincy Olivari. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that this move also allowed the LA team to sign 6-foot-11 center Trey Jemison. The kicker here is that they essentially let go of a more talented player to keep Bronny on the roster. Here’s the thing: Last Tuesday, we saw James Jr. barely get any action on the court in the Lakers’ 118-97 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. He played just one minute and didn’t record a single stat.

Fast forward to now, and the Lakers have some more trouble on their side. Is Bronny James unable to play against the Miami Heat due to illness?

Well, as reported by Trevor Lane on X, “Lakers say Bronny James Jr. (illness) has been downgraded to OUT for tonight’s game vs. Miami.” Even reporter Jovan Buha shared the same on his X handle. But honestly, his absence won’t really make much of an impact on the rotation.

In his nine games so far, James has played just 2.4 minutes per game. His numbers have been on the quieter side, with only 0.4 points, 0.1 rebounds, and 0.3 assists. On top of that, he’s shooting just 11.1% from the field.

Someone whose absence will make a difference is Dorian Finney-Smith. Finney-Smith won’t be on the court for the Lakers. Instead of the upcoming game, he is focused on something much more personal—he and his partner are welcoming a baby boy into the world.

DFS has shown he can guard multiple positions and knock down 3-pointers, hitting 40.9% from deep while averaging 6.8 points and 3.2 rebounds in 23.7 minutes per game. But here’s the catch—despite all that, the wins haven’t come in bunches. Even though the schedule seemed set up for success, the Lakers are just 2-4 with the $55 million hoopster on the roster.

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The team has also ruled out Jalen Hood-Schifino, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Christian Wood. Anthony Davis and LeBron James are both probable.

But coming back to Bronny, he could most likely get the next opportunity to play against the Brooklyn Nets. While the Lakers giving a spot to Bronny is controversial, his dad LeBron James took a unique route to logically back his son.

“Bronny doesn’t have to play basketball at all,” LeBron defends his son Bronny James

Bronny has had a much quieter rise to basketball fame compared to his dad, LeBron. While the spotlight hit Bron hard during his high school years, Bronny’s journey has been more low-key, though expectations have still been high. Scaringly, sky-high. People can’t help but track his every move.

At just 20, Bronny already carries a lot of pressure, which at times has turned ugly, with fans constantly pouring vitriol. But even without the same media frenzy (intensity) his father experienced, the weight of those expectations is still very real. Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce has noticed how well Bronny has handled all of it. “He’s handled the hype and the scrutiny and everything so perfect,” Kelce said.

LeBron James, of course, gets it—he has been through it all. “Bronny doesn’t have to play basketball at all. It’s not like he needs the money,” ‘The Chosen One’ pointed out, showing that, despite the media and fan attention, his son has kept his feet on the ground.

“If he wants to be the CEO of my company, he could be that. I would start teaching him right now to be that. But he says this is my career and my goals and this is my aspirations. And I want to play ball. I love that kid, he’s awesome,” LeBron James added.

Sure, LeBron James’ dream of playing in the Lakers with his son is on track as they became the first father and son to play duo in the NBA together during the Los Angeles Lakers ‘ season opener (October 2024). But many basketball fans have been criticizing this, thinking the 20-year-old is being handed things the easy way.

Do you think Bronny James has the talent to make it big as an NBA player? Let us know in the comments below.