Bronny James is about to make history alongside LeBron James, but is he completely ready for the league? Well, despite his recent 17 points against the Golden State Warriors, Charles Barkley, for one, does not believe so. And this is not the first time that Barkley has made such a claim. But he believes the LA Lakers may have made just the best choice with another rookie.

During his recent appearance on Inside the NBA, Barkley, in his usual no-nonsense style, called out NBA General Managers, saying they fumbled big time by letting the Lakers snag Dalton Knecht. “Letting the Lakers get Dalton Knecht was one of the stupidest things I’ve ever seen. That’s a bad boy right there. Dalton Knecht. Remember that name, y’all,” he said. It’s clear he’s got high hopes for the young rookie. But when it comes to LeBron James’ son, Bronny, Chuck’s tone shifts.

During the same episode, Charles Barkley was quick to acknowledge Bronny’s potential but expressed his belief the G League is where he belongs for now. “Bronny’s a prospect… I’m glad he’s healthy”¦ But I think to take the pressure off him. And let him get better as a player, he should be in the G League.”

But it seems he is looking out for Bronny James, as he stated the NBA’s tough competition might be a bit much at this stage. Now, how could things be different for two rookies on the same team? Well, first there is no denying that James did not get as much time with the ball during his time at USC. Dalton Knecht, on the other hand, has been a different story altogether.

If you’ve been following the preseason, you’ve probably noticed Dalton Knecht’s standout performances. He led all rookies in scoring average and total points across five games, putting up 18 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. Now some may argue that Dalton got more playtime in the preseason games. But his summer league stats speak no less.

Knecht led all rookies with 21.3 ppg in his 3 appearances at the summer league. Meanwhile, James averaged 8.8 ppg in 4 games he played. However, despite all of this, it’s not as if everyone has lost all hope in Bronny. In fact, even Charles Barkley believes that all that LeBron’s eldest son needs right now is to test himself in G-League waters first.

Lakers legend has faith in franchise’s process to develop Bronny James

Magic Johnson has never shied away from speaking his mind. And when it comes to Bronny, he’s no different. While Magic initially claimed that the Lakers rookie might not be ready just yet, he’s now expressing full confidence in the Lakers’ ability to help the rookie thrive. He even backed it up by pointing to two prime examples — Alex Caruso and Austin Reaves.

In a recent tweet, Magic assured fans, saying, “Basketball fans, Bronny James is in good hands with the Lakers, who are great with developing talent. Two names that I can name recently that I’ve seen firsthand are Alex Caruso and Austin Reaves, who both are starters in the league today. Bronny will be next.” Caruso and Reaves both went undrafted but quickly found themselves making an impact in LA.

Caruso even won a championship with the Lakers and became a fan favorite. Reaves, on the other hand, has skyrocketed to fame after stepping up last season, solidifying his role as a cornerstone of the team.

So, what does this mean for Bronny? Well, if Caruso and Reaves can turn into key players with the right support, there’s no reason to doubt Bronny’s potential. But yes, he’ll need time. And this is what Charles Barkley-suggested G-League can do for him, for there have been multiple players who benefitted from their G-League experience.