Bronny James Back to South Bay Lakers: G-League Redemption?

Merlin sees the Lakers assigning guard Bronny James and forward Adou Thiero to South Bay — a move meant to buy playing time rather than signal failure. Bronny, "just 21 years old and 37 games into his pro career," has struggled in brief NBA stints (2.1 PPG, 29.6% shooting) but previously excelled in the G League, so more consistent minutes in South Bay fit the club’s development plan while L.A.’s stacked backcourt stays healthy. Like a young mage sent back to the training tower, Bronny can rebuild confidence and sharpen his craft — he averaged 21.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 11 G‑League games last season. Merlin notes this is practical roster management: it preserves depth for the Lakers now and keeps a tested scorer ready for a late-season call or injury-driven recall.