Bronny James sounds open to Lakers G-league assignment for the first time

Bronny James' name may have earned him a nice NBA contract from the Lakers but that doesn't mean he'll be playing next to his father next year in Los Angeles. His struggles in summer league make it seem much more likely that his playing time will be with the team's G-League affiliate when the regular season begins.

To put it bluntly, the younger James should be logging a lot more minutes with the South Bay Lakers than the Los Angeles Lakers next year. The 19-year-old has struggled mightily to make a positive impact for the team in their three summer league games to date. He's only managed to make six of his 26 shots from the field and has missed all 12 of his attempts from behind the arc.

Perhaps that's why James' tune about potentially playing in the G-League has shifted markedly from his pre-draft stance. His agent, Rich Paul, was clear that James would not be signing a two-way contract with any team that expressed interest in drafting him. That could have been a negotiating ploy to steer him towards Los Angeles in Round 2.

Bronny James knows his NBA career prospects aren't great

Now James seems very open to the idea of playing basketball in South Bay next year. He recently told reporters that he'd looking forward to play basketball "no matter what level" he's playing at. That should be music to the ears of GM Rob Pelinka and his staff. The James family could cause a public relations nightmare for the franchise if they insist Bronny be gifted a spot on the NBA roster to begin the season.

It's still an issue that will likely make headlines in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future. If Bronny continues to struggle in the G-League the franchise will come under fire for nepotism. If he starts to shine on the smaller stage then Lakers fans will be clamoring for him to come up to the big league to play alongside his dad.

In the short-term, the younger James just needs to concentrate on making a positive impact for the Lakers summer league team. That's all he can control at the moment. It's been an ugly start for the son of one of the NBA's all-time greats.