Go ahead and add Charles Barkley to the growing chorus of NBA insiders who think the Los Angeles Lakers‘ treatment of Bronny James is ridiculous.
It’s funny listening to some of these guys finally coming forward to say something. They weren’t upset when the Lakers wasted a second-round draft pick on a kid who belongs nowhere near an NBA roster.
And they didn’t light their hair on fire when that same kid, who just so happens to be LeBron James’ son, was handed a 4-year, $7.9 million guaranteed contract on a silver platter.
But now, it seems that the fact that he doesn’t have to travel for road games with his G League teammates is the final straw.
“The kid is not ready to play in the NBA. He should be in the G-League so he can play basketball,” Barkley said during an appearance on “The Bettor Angle” this past weekend.
Charles Barkley on Bronny:
— Thetruth (@Thetruth8240) October 24, 2024
" He should be in the G-League, Hes not ready to play in the NBA" pic.twitter.com/MGLlsQGWub
Barkley Says Lakers Doing Bronny James A Disservice
The problem here is that the Lakers have decided to get Bronny some work in the G League, where he can try to improve upon a field goal percentage that makes Angel Reese look like Steph Curry.
But, as per usual, they gave him more nepo baby treatment.
The Lakers will have him splitting time between G League games when their affiliate, South Bay, is playing at home and some regular NBA roster games. This means that he doesn’t have to travel on the road with his teammates and experience the grind of an actual season.
And this is what Barkley is taking an issue with.
“This thing where he’s only gonna play homes games. It’s stupid, it’s not fair to him. It’s not fair to the team,” Barkley fumed. “Can you imagine the coach of that team? You come off a road trip and you have a player you haven’t seen in a week or two. And then you probably feel like you gotta play him.”
RELATED: Bronny James Is Playing So Poorly That Stephen A. Smith Is Starting To Say Things That Make Sense
Bad Look For LeBron Too
Barkley went on to suggest that the whole Bronny fiasco isn’t a good look for the Lakers or LeBron, for that matter.
“I don’t think they are doing Bronny any favors. They have just handled this thing very bad. It’s a bad look for the Lakers,” he said. “I really like everything LeBron has done. But it’s a bad look for him [too], in my opinion.”
Barkley’s analysis echoes that of Brian Windhorst, a basketball analyst for ESPN, who leveled the Lakers for their “special treatment” of Bronny James.
“On this particular instance, I think that’s gone too far, and I don’t think that benefits Bronny. I don’t think it benefits the South Bay Lakers,” said Windhorst. “And I don’t think it benefits LeBron at that point.”
Even Skip Bayless, who has long advocated that James will be special in the basketball world, and Stephen A. Smith are starting to have doubts.
The thing is, the Lakers are stuck with him in the G League until LeBron retires or goes somewhere else. They wouldn’t dare cut Bronny, despite the fact he’s not even G League ready.
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