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Lakers send Bronny James and Cameron Carr to the G League
Bronny James and rookie Cameron Carr were assigned to the Coachella Valley Lakers, the relocated G League affiliate, ahead of its opener on Friday.
The Lakers assigned guard Bronny James and rookie Cameron Carr to their G League affiliate, the Coachella Valley Lakers, on Thursday, ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported. The move comes the day before Coachella Valley opens its season at home against the Salt Lake City Stars.
James, 22 and in his third season, has barely played during the Lakers' 7-2 start: five appearances, 2.4 minutes and 0.8 points a game. In the G League over the past two seasons he has been a different player, averaging 18.4 points, 4.4 assists and 4.0 rebounds in 25 games and shooting 49.6% from the field and 41.3% from 3, according to ESPN.
Carr, the Lakers' first-round pick, missed the first six games with an oblique muscle injury, the AP reported, and debuted in the final 1:43 against Toronto on Sunday. He has played three games, a minute or two at a time, and has not scored.
A new home in the desert
James goes back to the same affiliate under a new name. The team he played for as the South Bay Lakers has been rebranded and relocated: it now plays at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert instead of the Lakers' practice facility in El Segundo, McMenamin wrote. It also has a new coach. Alex Cerda took over from Zack Guthrie, who joined JJ Redick's staff with the Lakers.
Assignments like these are routine for young players who are not in the rotation, and both players remain on the Lakers' roster, able to be recalled at any time. The Lakers did it with James in each of his first two seasons as well.
What it means for the rotation
Not much, for now. This week's starters were Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler, Jake LaRavia and Matisse Thybulle, with Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes and Jarred Vanderbilt the regulars off the bench and Ziaire Williams back from a foot injury since Monday. Kevon Looney was a coach's decision in three of the four games, by ESPN's box scores.
The Lakers host Portland tonight and then leave on a four-game road trip that starts in Detroit on Sunday. The schedule and roster are on the team page.