When will Bronny James debut for South Bay? Closer look at LeBron James' son's future with Lakers

The LA Lakers have assigned Bronny James to their G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, after playing four games with the NBA franchise. It was reported that James would be assigned to the G League to acclimate before returning to the league and try his hand against the best players in the world again.

Shams Charania of ESPN reported that James will make his G League debut on Saturday against Salt Lake City. But first, he will be on the Lakers' roster for Friday's matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers.

After tumultuous performances in the summer league and 2024 NBA preseason, Bronny James made his NBA debut in October. He's averaging 1.0 points and 0.5 assists per game while shooting 16.7% from the field. On Wednesday, he played five minutes against the Memphis Grizzlies and scored two points.

The Lakers succumbed to the Grizzlies 131-114, with JJ Redick sending strong messages to his players. Eight games into the season, the Lakers boast a 4-4 record, ranking fourth in the Pacific division and 10th in the Western Conference standings.

What are the Lakers' plans for Bronny James?

Shams Charania added that Bronny James won't be a full-time player for South Bay. He will spend time between the NBA and the G League, and his time in the G League will be subject to certain conditions.

"For now, sources said, the G League plan is for Bronny James to play in only South Bay home games – as he shuttles between both leagues and team manages his time on respective rosters."

In October, JJ Redick talked about Bronny's progress, saying he was happy with how the player had developed but noting that the rookie was still trying to find his rhythm on the offensive end.

"We're really happy with his progress," Redick said. "The kid, you know, he can do some things defensively at his size that are really unique and can I think turn him into a really disruptive defender and that kind of manifested.

"On the offensive end, he's still trying to kind of find out who he is, and that's our job as a player developmental program just to build him up. ... I liked what I say from Bronny, truth of the fact, he's so easy to coach."

The Lakers, just like Bronny, are trying to figure things out, and if they can progress together, he'll have more chances to play down the stretch.