Lakers send a message to LeBron, Bronny with Summer League signings

The Los Angeles Lakers may have entered the 2022 NBA Draft without a pick on their ledger, but they still managed to add some intriguing young talents in the latter half. On top of trading for a second-round pick and acquiring Michigan State sharpshooter Max Christie, Rob Pelinka did well on the undrafted free agent market.

The Lakers appear to be very interested in second-generation NBA players. Immediately after the draft, LA announced that Vanderbilt guard Scotty Pippen Jr. and LSU forward Shareef O’Neal had signed two separate contracts. You know Pelinka is mad he missed out on Ron Harper Jr. also.

The Lakers signed Pippen on a two-way contract after a standout college career with the Commodores. That signing was paired with the announcement that O’Neal would play for LA in Summer League competition. While this may seem ordinary, LeBron James may have taken notice of what LA just did.

The Lakers sent a message to James. Do you want to play with your famous son if Bronny ends up being good enough to get noticed by NBA talent? We’ll move heaven and earth to get him. We’ll use what little draft capital and financial flexibility we have to pull this off.

Lakers signing Scotty Pippen Jr, Shareef O’Neal sends a message.

Pippen is clearly the superior of the two prospects. After averaging 20.4 points per game with the Commodores, even though he played on a lousy team who rarely gave him tons of offensive support, it’s a minor miracle that he managed to get passed over 58 times.

The O’Neal signing shows that LA is willing to chase family members of famous stars despite a lack of production. While he had tons of injuries in college, O’Neal didn’t reach double-digits in any game. If Bronny keeps developing and becomes anything close to NBA quality, the Lakers will likely be interested in him.

James has been relatively open about his desire to both see Bronny make it to the NBA and potentially play alongside him when he does come to the pros. The younger Jame’s destination could even be significant enough to shape James’ future destination if he hits the open market.

The Lakers’ hopes of contending would be close to dead in the water without James, so finding out some way to sign him and keep him happy is imperative for the short-term success of this franchise. In addition to picking up two talents who could become viable pros, Pelinka showed James that he’ll make room for his son if the situation arises.

Pros and cons of Kyrie Irving potentially joining the Los Angeles Lakers

Irving in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform at first thought may seem amazing but with every player, some pros and cons come along