It’s historic, it’s heartwarming, it’s the brightest headline for a franchise that desperately needs some good news.
But that’s not very smart. And, for two of the main players involved, that’s not very fair.
So, a wet blanket should be thrown over the Lakers’ engineering of the most famous 55th overall pick in NBA draft history.
Yeah, they did it, of course they did it, they signed an untested 19-year-old named Bronny James on Thursday to join his father LeBron to become the NBA’s first father-son duo.
They did this even though Bronny was passed over by virtually every other NBA team that had a chance to draft him.
They did it even though Bronny struggled last season for USC after returning from a cardiac arrest episode that cost him five months.
They did so even though most experts agreed that his game — five points, three rebounds and two assists per appearance for the Trojans — could have used at least another year of college tutoring.
They did it apparently for the same reason they do many things: to keep their superstar happy. LeBron had expressed his desire to play with his son, LeBron can opt out of his contract this summer, they probably thought LeBron had to be satisfied at all costs.
But that seems like a high price to pay.
Granted, the biggest fee won’t come from the Lakers, who, let’s face it, weren’t going to get a star with the 55th pick anyway. This was a no-loss pick that, from a personnel standpoint, cost them nothing.
The biggest cost won’t be on LeBron either, who gets to make history and play with his son and where’s the downside?
No, the highest price here will unfortunately be exacted from Bronny himself.
All the poetic speeches of commentators on the beauty of the father-son couple have failed to consider it from the son’s point of view.
Does Bronny really need that kind of pressure? Is it really fair to ask him to develop his game while sitting on the same bench as arguably the greatest player in history, who also happens to be his father?
Critics will cry “nepotism” with every dribble. Pundits will scrutinize his father’s reaction to every shot. It was hard enough for Bronny to play college games with his father, drawing all the attention while sitting on the court. Can you imagine the heat he’ll feel with his father wearing the same uniform and hanging out in a nearby locker?
LeBron James, left, and Bronny James will be the first father-son duo to play at the same time in the NBA. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) (John Locher/Associated Press)
There will be a shining moment when they take the court together for the first time in a regular season game, likely a blowout win where Bronny comes in in the final minutes and LeBron throws him a pass for an all-oop dunk and history will be written and everyone will cry.
But other than that photo op, how can playing with his dad feel like anything to Bronny other than constant, controlled chaos?
There will be few interviews that do not mention his father. Even rarer will be the achievements that are not judged in relation to his father.
Late second round draft picks are rarely seen and rarely heard. But because of his closeness to his father, everything Bronny does will be filmed and everything he says will go viral.
It would be one thing if he had been a top pick in the draft and had the game to withstand the scrutiny. But he was the fourth pick in the draft to essentially still be in basketball school.
He will not learn on the job, but on fire.
Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka explains why the team drafted Bronny James and what’s next for LeBron James’ son. (Marissa Kraus/Los Angeles Times)
Even though Bronny spends much of his time with the South Bay Lakers minor leagues, the circus will follow him there. Having bravely overcome a frightening medical challenge, this young man deserves a chance to get back on his feet at his own pace, in his own space. Instead, he now finds himself stuck under the brightest lights amidst the most aggressive schedules, obstacle after obstacle, and is that fair?
A few months ago, when asked about the hype leading up to the spring draft, Bronny admitted, “Yeah, there’s a lot of it. »
Now it’s even more.
At the same press conference, Bronny also said, “My dream has always been to get my name out there, make a name for myself, and of course, make it to the NBA. I never thought about playing with my father…”
His dream. Her name. A name. Not two names. But for now, it seems like an impossible dream.
If this goes as planned, for his first act as a Laker, seriously, Bronny might be wise to request a trade to Utah or Oklahoma City.
And he’s not the only one mired in this madness, since Bronny could be joined in his malaise by new coach JJ Redick.
Think about it. Redick is trying to connect with his stars. He’s trying to build a culture. He’s trying to learn how to lead.
The last thing he needs to worry about is dealing with the overwhelming hype of a second-round pick. Again, that’s neither smart nor fair.
How many pregame interview questions will involve Bronny’s progress? How much of the daily attention will be focused on a kid who rarely plays? How often will Redick have to protect his veterans from the distraction of a rookie?
And if Bronny develops faster than imagined, how much pressure will Redick feel from LeBron’s camp to give the kid more minutes?
Lakers star LeBron James, right, pats Bronny James on the back before his college debut against Long Beach State in December.
(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
In Bronny’s words, for a rookie NBA head coach, yes, that’s a lot.
By all accounts, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka has good intentions.
He believes in the Lakers’ legacy of greatness and thinks this draft pick supports that.
“It looks like something that can be magical,” Pelinka told reporters Thursday. “NBA history should be made in a Laker uniform.”
He believes in the power of this glamorous franchise to withstand even greater scrutiny, and thinks this decision embodies that.
“The greatest moments in sports happen with the Lakers, and that’s how we’re built, and we’re excited to see this story unfold,” he said.
As for Bronny and the overwhelming heat of the spotlight, Pelinka believes the kid can handle it, noting: “Growing up the way he did, there’s a fishbowl, a lot of eyes watching everything you do, he was able to handle all of that with extreme maturity.”
More than anything, it seems clear that Pelinka believes he needs to keep LeBron in a Laker uniform, and he’s betting this pick will ensure that.
It’s a safe bet, but a very destabilizing one.
Bronny arrives. LeBron stays. The circus begins.