Bronny James expects to split time between the Lakers and the G League team after the road trip

Lakers coach JJ Redick and LeBron James both assumed Bronny James would spend time honing his skills in the G League.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bronny James is expected to begin splitting time between the Lakers and the team's G League affiliate, although coach JJ Reddick said those plans could change.

ESPN reported Friday that James will move between the two teams after the Lakers play five games on Nov. 6. The South Bay Lakers begin their G League season on November 9th against the Salt Lake City Stars.

“Our plans are always fluid and based on real time,” Reddick said Friday before the Lakers took on the Phoenix Suns. “I think we have two guys getting dressed today that we haven’t gotten dressed since yesterday.

“The plan for Bronny to move between the Lakers and South Bay was always the plan from day one. (General Manager) Rob (Pelinka) and I talked about it. That’s what LeBron talked about.”

Bronny James was the 55th pick in the draft after a college season in Southern California. Most second-round picks spend time in the G League during their rookie season and are on two-way contracts.

Bronny James played three minutes in the Lakers' 110-103 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night. In six preseason games, he averaged 4.2 points and 16.2 minutes of playing time.

The Lakers host Sacramento on Saturday before heading out on the road. The second game of the trip is Wednesday in Cleveland. LeBron James, an Akron native, played 11 seasons for the Cavaliers and led them to an NBA championship in 2016. The younger James was also born in Akron in 2004.

The father said at the Lakers' media day last month that he expected his son to move between the NBA and the G League.

“I see him continue to develop as a basketball player, whether here with us or with the G League team, and how he keeps getting better,” he said. “We want to hold him accountable. He will hold us accountable and if we all do that, we will all get better because we are all a team. We are a reflection of the South Bay. The South Bay is a reflection of us. …We will continue to grow and stack days. I know he will because that’s what he’s all about.”