The Los Angeles Lakers hit a rough patch on Wednesday night, suffering a lopsided loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers that served as a reminder of just how far they still have to go. After keeping things competitive through the first half, the wheels came off in the second, and the Cavaliers ran away with it, cruising to a 30-point win.
The game’s blowout nature gave both coaches an opportunity to look down the bench, which meant a few rare NBA minutes for rookie guard Bronny James. And while the scoreboard was out of reach, the moment wasn’t lost on fans - especially when Bronny got loose for a breakaway dunk against the team his father, LeBron James, once led to a championship.
That dunk made the rounds quickly on social media, with ESPN posting a photo of the play alongside the caption, “Heir To The Throne” - a nod to LeBron’s long-standing nickname, “The King.”
As you might expect, the internet had thoughts. Some fans weren’t buying into the royal symbolism just yet, questioning everything from the legitimacy of the play to the intent behind the turnover that led to the dunk. One commenter joked, “I’m convinced they turned the ball over on purpose for this dunk,” while another pointed out what they believed to be a travel.
But not all the feedback was snarky. There were fans who saw promise in Bronny’s brief stint, with one noting, “He put together some great minutes last night. Gives you a glimpse of what he can do.”
And that’s really what this season is about for Bronny - glimpses. He’s still very much in the development phase, spending most of his time in the G League as he works to sharpen his game and adjust to the pro level. For now, he remains on the fringes of JJ Redick’s rotation, and it doesn’t appear that will change anytime soon.
As for the Lakers, the clock is ticking. With the trade deadline fast approaching on February 5, the front office has some serious decisions to make.
This team still needs help, particularly on the perimeter, where they’re lacking a consistent, high-level defender. Whether they can address that need in time remains to be seen - but if they want to stay in the playoff mix, they’ll need to get it right.