Charles Barkley Thinks Bronny James And LeBron’s Lakers’ Opening Night Was A Pre-planned PR Stunt

Did you hear what Charles Barkley said about Bronny James’ debut with LeBron on the Lakers’ opening night? He thinks it was all just a pre-planned PR stunt! Interesting!

According to Barkley, this whole thing was just a way for LeBron and the Lakers to generate some buzz and attention. He believes the debut wasn’t about a family moment on that night. It was all just a calculated move to make headlines and get people talking.

Before the season started, Barkley got a tip about the Lakers’ plans after talking with baseball great Ken Griffey Jr., who mentioned that he and his dad would be at the opener. Barkley saw this as a clear sign that Nike—big on promoting the James family—had set up the whole thing. “There’s no way in the world Nike is sending Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. out there, and Bronny is not getting on the court with his dad,” Barkley said.

While Barkley acknowledged the emotional moment of Bronny’s debut, he thinks the Lakers pushed him into the NBA too fast. “The kid is not ready for the NBA,” he said. “He should be in the G League so he can play basketball. He’s not gonna get better sitting on the bench.” Bronny, who only played 16 minutes in the opener, was later sent to the Lakers’ G League team, but only for home games, something Barkley criticized as unfair to both Bronny and the team.

Barkley went on to say that the Lakers’ decision to have Bronny only play in home games creates a lot of inconsistency, which could hurt both the player and the team. “It’s not fair to him. It’s not fair to the team. Can you imagine a coach of that team? You come off a road trip, and there’s a player you haven’t seen in a week or two,” he explained. Barkley pointed out how this would cause issues for coaches and throw off the team’s overall strategy.

Barkley’s not the only one concerned. ESPN insider Brian Windhorst, who has been following the James family closely, also thinks this plan could hurt Bronny’s development, calling it “detrimental.” Despite the Lakers having a 10-6 record so far, Bronny hasn’t yet become a key player, and his inconsistent playing time—thanks to a heel injury—adds more uncertainty about what’s next for him.

In the end, who knows what the real motivation behind Bronny‘s debut was? Maybe it was just a way for LeBron to bond with his son and share something special. Or maybe there was a little bit of PR strategy involved. Either way, it was a memorable moment and got people talking. And you know what they say, any publicity is good publicity!

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