LeBron James and Bronny James Begin Scrimmaging Ahead of Historic Season

LeBron James and his son, Bronny, are already participating in scrimmages with the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers during voluntary offseason workouts. Rookie head coach JJ Redick and his staff are considering the momentous occasion of a father and son sharing an NBA court for the first time early in the upcoming season.

While the details of this historic event are still being worked out, Redick shares the excitement of the basketball community at the prospect of witnessing the all-time leading scorer play alongside the Lakers' new second-round draft pick. No father and son have ever played simultaneously in the NBA, let alone on the same team.

“We haven’t made any specific plans or commitments yet,” Redick stated. “We’ve certainly discussed it as a staff and explored what that might look like, but nothing is finalized. It will be important to have a conversation with both Bronny and LeBron when we’re all together, as they should be part of that discussion as well.”

During a preseason press conference on Wednesday, Redick and general manager Rob Pelinka expressed their enthusiasm about the pairing. Redick sees only positives in having the duo on the court together and doesn’t foresee any issues arising from their family relationship.

“I don’t view it as a unique challenge compared to coaching any other player or relationship,” Redick said.

Pelinka added a humorous anecdote from a recent scrimmage: “Maybe the real challenge lies with Bronny. In one of our pickup games, he ended up switched onto LeBron, who took him baseline and finished with an up-and-under off the glass. The exchange afterwards was probably more challenging than anything else.”

The Lakers have yet to announce how long Bronny, who will turn 20 during training camp, will remain on the NBA roster alongside his famous father, who will turn 40 in December.

While the front office hasn't made an official announcement, it appears that Bronny James is likely to spend a significant portion of the upcoming season in the G League to further develop his skills. After recovering from cardiac arrest during an offseason workout, he played in only 25 games during his single season at the University of Southern California.

Despite this, both Pelinka and Redick remain optimistic about the potential of the 6-foot-2 Bronny to contribute at the NBA level.

“Bronny is someone I feel very fortunate to coach. He’s young, eager, and possesses a lot of innate skills that we can really shape into a solid NBA player,” Redick commented. “Additionally, he’s a fantastic kid—extremely coachable and brings the right spirit and energy every single day.”

LeBron James took a break after leading Team USA to a gold medal at the Paris Olympics but has been back in the gym for the past two weeks, according to Redick.

The Lakers' front office opted against making any bold moves over the summer, hindered by the contracts of their star players and the new league rules that have complicated roster upgrades, as Pelinka noted.

Consequently, the Lakers will largely maintain the same roster that reached the Western Conference Finals in 2023 but struggled last spring, finishing eighth in the West and falling to Denver in the first round. Even with solid health from LeBron and Anthony Davis—two high-mileage veterans with histories of injury issues—the team didn’t emerge as an elite contender.

Pelinka mentioned that he would be open to trading the two first-round picks if it meant achieving “sustainable Lakers excellence.” He also stated he might consider a deal for a “marginal upgrade” if it aligned with their goals.

Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, and Jalen Hood-Schifino are healthy heading into training camp, though not all players will be ready for workouts next week. Christian Wood is set to be re-evaluated in six weeks following left knee surgery earlier this month.

Pelinka also shared that Jarred Vanderbilt, the defense-focused wingman who played only 29 games last season due to a foot injury, underwent successful procedures on both feet early in the offseason. While still in recovery, Pelinka expressed optimism that Vanderbilt will be prepared to play by the opening night on October 22.