The Los Angeles Lakers may not be championship contenders as training camp for the 2024-25 season nears, but it does appear they have a new, concrete focus as an organization that could eventually pay dividends.
They have been accused of trading away young, promising players in order to acquire veterans and therefore giving up players who could've contributed for many years to come. But under new head coach JJ Redick, there is a new emphasis on player development, as well as new staff members who are specifically in charge of player development.
While on the "Lowe Post" podcast, Redick mentioned the hiring of new G League head coach Zach Guthrie, and he said the Lakers "should be the model of integration" between a G League and big league NBA team.
The potential Lakers G League player who people will have their eyes on is Bronny James, the son of LeBron James who was the No. 55 pick in June's draft. Many feel that although he has some intriguing tools to work with, he simply isn't ready to crack an NBA rotation. As a result, the younger James is expected to spend lots of time with the South Bay Lakers in order to develop his skills and confidence.
The best way for NBA teams to utilize their G League affiliates is the way Major League Baseball teams utilize their minor league farm system squads. By making sure they have synergy with their G League team and are on the same page with it, the Lakers could accomplish just that.