Nepotism Will Reportedly Be on Full Display in Timberwolves vs Lakers

By Ted Schwerzler |

Updated: Oct 22, 2024

LeBron James, Bronny James — Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Timberwolves open their 2024-25 regular season on Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers. This morning, Justin Jefferson and Anthony Edwards have taken over the internet with a cover story on ESPN Tuesday morning. Tonight though, the Lakers and Timberwolves will take center stage on NBA’s opening night.

LeBron James remains among the best players in the NBA, even at nearly 40 years old. The Los Angeles Lakers want to believe they are title favorites, and they have both LeBron and Anthony Davis so you can’t completely rule it out. But in 2024-25, the it’s the Timberwolves who are expected to have the better team this season.

A big part of the difference between squads is bench depth. The Wolves are so deep, they have legit rotation players who won’t see the floor. For the Lakers, they have Lebron James’ son, Bronny James.

Bronny James will play tonight vs Minnesota Timberwolves

It has been a terribly kept secret for some time that LeBron wanted to play in the NBA with his son, who scuffled through a freshman season at USC that began with a cardiac arrest incident that nearly cost him his life. Nonetheless, the Lakers spent a 2nd round draft pick on Bronny, not because of his dad… they claimed.

On Tuesday night, also not because of his dad, surely, ESPN’s new NBA insider Shams Charania reports that Bronny will get playing time tonight for the Los Angeles Lakers, next to his father. Nepotism history in the making.

“I’m told it’s very likely, and the Lakers plan that LeBron James, Bronny James make history as the first father-son duo to be on the court at the same time, and likely to come early in the game as long as it’s competitive and it’s a flowing game as far as where the Lakers are at early on in that game. I think that’s going to be very important. The Lakers want to allow this to happen during the flow of the game in a competitive environment. JJ Redick said on Monday that here is no plan finalized yet for both of them to play together on opening night, but this is something the Lakers have spent a lot of time discussing internally. It’s never happened in the NBA before, may never, likely never happen again. You think about LeBron James in Year 22, he’s really spoken this into existence. He’s been talking about it for the last several years and now it is on the cusp of happening as soon as tonight.”
Shams Charania on LeBron and Bronny James being on the court together (Sportscenter)

This has been a collision course coming down the tracks for quite some time. Bronny was never drafted to go to the G League, and LeBron stayed in Los Angeles to ensure he played with his oldest son. Does Bronny deserve that playing time. Probably not.

The younger James has struggled mightily during preseason action, averaging just 4.2 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game, to go with 1.2 turnovers. This preseason, the Lakers were -10 in point differential, with Bronny James on the court.

Shams is not the only insider suggesting that Bronny will make his NBA debut against the Minnesota Timberwolves. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst is hearing the same things and put a timeframe on the action as well.

“I would expect, as long as the game is going okay, be in your seat at the start of the 2nd quarter.”

— Brian Windhorst hints at Bronny playing tonight 👀

(h/t @ClutchPoints) pic.twitter.com/NNKUoX9Hcx
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) October 22, 2024

All of the theatrics and moments will be shining on the Lakers, once action gets underway on Tuesday night. Of course, the Minnesota Timberwolves are in LA tonight to rain on the nepotism parade. Anthony Edwards is a real contender to win MVP and he’s going to want to cement himself into that conversation on national TV, opening night, with all eyes on LeBron and Bronny.