After Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick previously teased that LeBron and Bronny James would play together in an NBA game soon, it appears the regular-season opener is the target date.
Appearing on Thursday’s episode of Get Up, ESPN’s Shams Charania said the father-son duo will play together “as soon as opening night” when the Lakers host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 22.
Redick said last month on The Lowe Post podcast (starts at 1:03:51) that LeBron and Bronny would play together “sooner rather than later.”
In the same interview, Redick did leave open the possibility that Bronny could spend time with the South Bay Lakers in the G League to get more consistent playing time and development.
Since the G League season doesn’t begin until Nov. 8, the Lakers play eight games before they might consider moving Bronny to South Bay for at least some period of time.
Redick may have already given a hint of when LeBron and Bronny will be on the court together in the preseason. Bronny checked in for the Lakers at the start of the second quarter of Sunday’s preseason game against the Phoenix Suns with his father already on the floor.
They played just over four minutes together in the Lakers’ 118-114 loss. Bronny had a chance to make a basket on an assist from LeBron, but his three-point attempt didn’t fall.
That was the first time in NBA history that a father-son duo played in a game together. It clearly won’t be the last time after the Lakers used the No. 55 pick in the 2024 NBA draft to add Bronny to their roster.
The Lakers play each of their first three games in the regular season at home. After opening against the Timberwolves, they host the Suns on Oct. 25 and Sacramento Kings on Oct. 26.
Los Angeles will follow up that initial homestand with a five-game road trip before returning to Crypto.com Arena on Nov. 8 for a showdown with the Philadelphia 76ers.
