Will Bronny James Play for Lakers Tonight in 2024 Debut?

The 2024 NBA regular season tips off on Tuesday night with a nationally-televised doubleheader. First, the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics face off in a battle of arguably the two best teams in the Eastern Conference. Then, the Minnesota Timberwolves take on the Los Angeles Lakers in what could be one of the most historic nights in NBA history.

The Lakers drafted Bronny James with the No. 55 overall pick in June. Bronny is now teaming up with his father, LeBron, and if the two players share the court Tuesday night, they will become the first father-son duo to ever play together in the regular season in NBA history.

Will Bronny suit up, though?

LeBron and Bronny James — LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 15: LeBron James (L) #23 and Bronny James #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers warm up before a preseason game against the Golden State Warriors at T-Mobile Arena at T-Mobile…

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According to ESPN insiders Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst, Bronny will get into the game on Tuesday night so the father-son duo can make history.

“I’m told it’s very likely, and the Lakers plan that LeBron James, Bronny James make history as the first father-son duo to be on the court at the same time, and likely to come early in the game as long as it’s competitive and it’s a flowing game as far as where the Lakers are at early on in that game,” Charania said on SportsCenter Tuesday. “I think that’s going to be very important. The Lakers want to allow this to happen during the flow of the game in a competitive environment.”

Windhorst added on Get Up: “The Lakers aren’t saying for sure, but they’ve shown their hand a little bit with Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. being guests of Nike here tonight. This is a big thing for LeBron,” Windhorst said. “I would expect, as long as the game is going okay, be in your seat at the start of the 2nd quarter. That’s when JJ Redick did this in the preseason, to start the second quarter. And the coach — I know it’s his debut, but he is totally leaning into this. He understands how this moment is energizing LeBron, and energizing LeBron is good for the Lakers. Forget about anything else.”

It sounds like Bronny could make his NBA regular season debut as early as the 2nd quarter on Tuesday night, which would make incredible history.

As Windhorst said, Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. — the first duo to play together in MLB — will be in attendance at the Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night.

“I’m actually going to go to the game, I’m going to take my dad,” Griffey Jr. told Jon Paul Morosi on the Road to Cooperstown podcast for MLB Network Radio. “First father and son to play baseball, now the first father and son to play basketball, so it’s a big deal for my dad and I to be there. We made history, now we get to watch history, so that’s what’s going to be cool about it.”