Bronny James making the Lakers roster immediately would be a blessing and curse

The Los Angeles Lakers zigged when everybody on Planet Earth expected them to zig. Bronny James, the freshman guard from USC (who also happens to be LeBron James' son) was LA's selection with the No. 55 pick in last month's NBA Draft. It was an undeniably special moment — the first ever father-son duo in the NBA, cemented forever in the history books.

Still, it rubbed quite a few folks the wrong way. The nepotism charges flew fast and furious. Yes, nepotism factored into this pick. No, that is not a unique concept in the NBA. Might I point you to the Atlanta Hawks' front office?

Bronny was not the undraftable prospect some will have you believe. He was a McDonald's All-American in high school, displaying a compelling blend of athleticism, defense, and basketball IQ on the perimeter. His shooting was much better before college, too. He struggled as a freshman at USC. There's no way around 4.8 points on 36.6 percent shooting. Supporters will cite the cardiac arrest that derailed his offseason, but it's nonetheless hard to invest in a 6-foot-2 guard who cannot hit the side of a barn. Those prospects tend to have mixed track records at best.

I am of the opinion — perhaps somewhat controversially — that Bronny is solid value in the 55th slot. The defense is real. The physical tools are impressive, even without great positional height. Bronny is smart, competitive, and a jump shot away from legitimate role-playing upside in the NBA.

At the end of the day, though, the Lakers picked Bronny because he's LeBron's kid. We don't need to pretend otherwise. Now, it's all a matter of charting the right course forward for the 19-year-old's development, which J.J. Redick dubbed "case study one" for the Lakers' new youth movement.

Lakers cannot afford to rush Bronny James' development

James Jr. inked a four-year, $7.9 million contract with over $4 million guaranteed shortly after the draft. That's a lot for the No. 55 pick, but this has become something of a Rich Paul-Klutch Sports special. Prospects fall deep into the second round to a desired destination and get rewarded for their willful tumble with guaranteed money. Bronny is also getting guaranteed money because he's LeBron's kid. Fair or not, we can speak honestly.

What happens from here on out will determine Bronny's NBA success. Him signing a guaranteed contract is not some death knell, but it does complicate matters for a Lakers team that is short on playable depth. Bronny is occupying a roster spot, but he's destined to spend most (if not all) of next season in the G League.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Los Angeles plans to let Bronny and LeBron share the floor — briefly — when the season begins in October. That will suffice in the history books. From there, a move to the G League South Bay Lakers is expected. The Lakers aren't going to rush Bronny into action. His early Summer League performances are proof positive that he is not ready for NBA basketball.

It's a bit unfortunate that Bronny can't start on a two-way contract — that would certainly aid the Lakers' roster situation, and James will spend the majority of his season following the arc of your standard two-way player — but all the same, James isn't going to be with the Lakers' big-league squad very often next season. He's on the team, a locked-in member of the 15-man roster, but he's not actually in Redick's game plan. Not yet.