Bronny James will not play in the Los Angeles Lakers’ California Classic summer league game on Sunday due to swelling in his left knee, according to Kendra Andrews of ESPN.
The rookie, who debuted for the team on Saturday in a loss to the Sacramento Kings at the Chase Center in San Francisco, was removed as a precaution on Sunday. He is expected to play the last game of the tournament against the Miami Heat on Wednesday.
James played 21 minutes Saturday in the 108-94 loss to the Kings. He had four points and two rebounds in the contest, and shot just 2 of 9 from the field and 0 of 3 from behind the arc.
“He just needs to keep learning, getting reps and learning as much as he’s capable of,” Lakers summer league coach Dane Johnson said after Saturday’s game, via ESPN. “Like, his body, he can get worse if he uses his shoulder, if he has a little advantage over someone. And just build that trust in him.”
James was selected by the Lakers with the 55th overall pick in the NBA Draft last month after a single season at USC, where he averaged 4.8 points and 2.8 rebounds, largely off the bench with the Trojans. James, the eldest son of LeBron James, then signed a four-year, $7.9 million contract with the club. When they take the court together in a game this fall, they will be the first father-son duo to do so in league history. LeBron is currently training with Team USA in Las Vegas ahead of the Paris Olympics.
After wrapping up in San Francisco, James and the Lakers will head to Las Vegas for more summer league games in Nevada. They will open the tournament against the Houston Rockets on July 12 at the Thomas & Mack Center.
