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Bronny James will make his summer league debut with the Los Angeles Lakers on July 6th in the California Classic. Bronny isn't the only player that Lakers fans are interested in seeing, as first-round steal Dalton Knecht will also debut. The Lakers play three games in the California Classic before heading to Las Vegas for the big summer league tournament featuring every team. The Lakers have four games spread over the week before the playoffs begin on July 20th.
Dalton Knecht feels like the forgotten man as Bronny James grabs all the headlines. However, Knecht was a steal for the Lakers in the first round and can be a factor in the regular season quicker than Bronny. Bronny's performance against his peers in the summer league will be intriguing, as many people don't believe in his abilities. Los Angeles and Bronny didn't help the negative publicity when he signed a massive contract despite most players in his range getting much less guaranteed deals.
Bronny James, Lakers' summer league schedule
The Lakers will play in the California Classic Summer League before heading to Las Vegas to finish the schedule. The California Classic is from July 6th to July 10th, and the Las Vegas portion is from July 12th to July 22nd. Summer League action is available on ESPN, ESPN2, and NBA TV. You can also stream them on fuboTV.
California Classic Schedule
Saturday, July 6 (San Francisco): Lakers vs. Kings 2 at 4:30 p.m. ET, 1:30 p.m. PT on ESPN
Sunday, July 7 (San Francisco): Lakers vs. Warriors at 6:30 p.m. ET, 3:30 p.m. PT on NBA TV
Wednesday, July 10 (San Francisco): Heat vs. Lakers at 7 p.m. ET, 4 p.m. PT on ESPN2
Las Vegas Summer League Schedule
Friday, July 12: Rockets vs. Lakers at 7:30 p.m. ET, 4:30 p.m. PT on ESPN
Monday, July 15: Celtics vs. Lakers at 10:30 p.m. ET, 7:30 p.m. PT on NBA TV
Wednesday, July 17: Lakers vs. Hawks at 9:30 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. PT on ESPN
Thursday, July 18: Lakers vs. Cavaliers at 9 p.m. ET, 6 p.m ET on ESPN
Saturday, July 20: Playoff games starting at 3 p.m. ET
Sunday, July 21: Playoff games at 2 p.m. ET
Monday, July 22: Championship game at 9 p.m. ET
Summer League storylines
Dalton Knecht will have all eyes on him as he was one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2024 NBA Draft class. He led Tennessee to the Elite Eight and almost upset Purdue despite Knecht being one of their only offensive contributors. Knecht handled defensive emphasis from the other team all season at Tennessee, averaging nearly 22 points. The question for the Lakers is how that will translate against better opponents.
Bronny James had a difficult season at USC, meaning critics should wait and see for his development before shooting down his potential. Bronny had a life-changing incident during USC's training camp last season, suffering a cardiac arrest which kept him out of the early portion of the season. He will finally get to prove himself amid talk of nepotism for weeks. If Bronny has a successful summer league, it could quell some of the talk surrounding him and make his rookie season easier.
Much of the talks around the Lakers' training camp will be about whether Bronny can handle playing in the NBA and if he deserves a spot on the roster. Bronny will hope to prove he belongs over the seven summer league games and take some pressure off his rookie season.
