Bronny James is set to join the G League but will remain close to home.

The Los Angeles Lakers have assigned the 20-year-old rookie guard, who is the son of NBA star LeBron James, to the South Bay Lakers. According to a source familiar with the situation, Bronny will mainly play during the G League affiliate’s home games. This information was shared anonymously as the source wasn’t granted permission to disclose it publicly.

The Lakers have no obligations to play Bronny in the G League, allowing them flexibility in his development since he signed a standard player contract in July. In contrast, players under two-way contracts must spend a significant part of the season with their G League team and can only play up to 50 games in the NBA.

Bronny is in a rare position, surrounded by seasoned professionals, including his father, who has 22 years of experience; his long-term agent Rich Paul; Lakers GM Rob Pelinka, previously Kobe Bryant’s agent; and coach JJ Reddick, a veteran of 15 seasons. This team can customize a development plan suited specifically for Bronny.

It’s common for other NBA players who have G League affiliates near their NBA teams to primarily participate in home games in the G League.

ESPN was the first outlet to report on the Lakers’ plans for Bronny James in the G League.

The Lakers drafted Bronny James as the 55th overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft held in June. His contract has a guaranteed value of $7.9 million over four years, according to ESPN.

On Wednesday night, Bronny was present with the Lakers when they faced off against the Memphis Grizzlies, although he did not participate in the game. He had the opportunity to watch his father, LeBron James, achieve 35 points, 14 assists, and 12 rebounds, making NBA history as the oldest player to record a triple-double with at least 30 points. This was LeBron’s third consecutive triple-double, and he will turn 40 on December 30.

The Lakers are set to play against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday as part of the NBA Cup, while the South Bay Lakers will host their next home game against the Stockton Kings on Sunday.

South Bay Lakers games are held at the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo, California, located around 15 miles from the Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles.

Bronny made his G League debut on November 9, contributing to the team’s 110-96 win over the Salt Lake City Stars. He recorded six points on two-of-nine shooting, along with three rebounds, four assists, and two steals, but was unsuccessful on all four of his three-point attempts.

“I haven’t been with the team as much as I can to figure out what my role is on that team,” Bronny stated about the South Bay squad after the game. “So I’m just going out and playing my game and just hooping.”

Additionally, Bronny has played in six NBA games with the Lakers so far, scoring two points on one-of-six shooting in 16 minutes, with two assists and one rebound included.

Upcoming Schedule for the South Bay Lakers

The South Bay Lakers have seven games scheduled for the remainder of November.

• Friday, Nov. 15 at 10:00 p.m.: at the Santa Cruz Warriors; Santa Cruz, CA
• Sunday, Nov. 17 at 8:00 p.m.: versus the Stockton Kings; El Segundo, CA
• Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 10:00 p.m.: at the San Diego Clippers; Oceanside, CA
• Sunday, Nov. 24 at 8:00 p.m.: versus the Stockton Kings; El Segundo, CA
• Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 10:00 p.m.: versus the San Diego Clippers; El Segundo, CA
• Wednesday, Nov. 27 at 10:00 p.m.: versus the Rip City Remix; El Segundo, CA
• Saturday, Nov. 30 at 10:00 p.m.: at the Santa Cruz Warriors; Santa Cruz, CA

*All times are in eastern