Brian Windhorst and LeBron James (Images Credit: X/@NBA On ESPN, Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers kicked off their 2024 offseason on a high note by drafting promising talents Dalton Knecht and LeBron James’ son, Bronny James. However, the Lakers soon found themselves fading from the spotlight as inactivity in the trade market left many questioning their direction.
Unfortunately, their preseason performances have not helped quiet the critics. The Lakers suffered losses in both of their initial preseason games. NBA analyst Brian Windhorst recently weighed in on the team’s unpredictableness during Tuesday’s episode of ESPN’s NBA Today.
Windhorst expressed skepticism about the Lakers’ prospects in this season. “I actually think the Lakers are relatively easy to predict. I think they’re probably headed for the play-in. They’ve got roughly the same team coming back,” the NBA analyst said.
In their first preseason outing, the Lakers faced the Minnesota Timberwolves and fell short, losing 120-109. The second preseason game marked a historic moment for the franchise, as it featured the on-court pairing of LeBron and Bronny James for the first time. Despite the excitement surrounding this milestone, the Lakers lost again, this time to the Phoenix Suns, with a final score of 118-114.
Los Angeles Lakers Rookie Bronny James Under Scrutiny After Rocky Preseason Start
Bronny James, the eldest son of NBA superstar LeBron James, is experiencing a rocky start in his rookie season with the Los Angeles Lakers. His early struggles have led to some critical feedback regarding his readiness to compete at the NBA level. ESPN’s Baxter Holmes recently highlighted concerns from an anonymous executive from a Western Conference team.
“There’s going to be so much internal pressure for him to come up from the G League, but he shouldn’t spend a single minute with the Lakers this year,” the executive said.
In his debut preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Bronny finished with just two points, one rebound, and one assist. His second game did not fare much better, as he went scoreless in 13 minutes of play.
