The Los Angeles Lakers made a roster adjustment shortly after securing a home victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Lakers delivered a strong performance in that game, earning a 120–106 win in front of their home crowd. During the matchup, rookie guard Bronny James saw limited action, logging two minutes on the court and recording one assist. As the team prepares for its upcoming contest against the Chicago Bulls, the organization decided to make a few changes involving some of its younger players.
Ahead of Thursday’s game, the Lakers announced that they have assigned several players to their G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers. The move includes guards Bronny James and Dalton Knecht, along with forward Adou Thiero. These assignments are typically made to allow developing players to gain additional playing time and continue building their skills while remaining part of the organization’s broader development system.
Bronny James is currently in his second professional season, both of which have been spent with the Lakers. The former USC Trojans men’s basketball guard has appeared in 32 games this season. During those appearances, he has averaged 2.1 points and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 39.7 percent from the field. Notably, he has shown efficiency from beyond the arc, connecting on 41.4 percent of his three-point attempts.
Meanwhile, Adou Thiero is navigating his rookie season in the NBA after playing college basketball with both the Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball and the Arkansas Razorbacks men’s basketball programs. In 19 games so far this year, Thiero has averaged 1.5 points and 1.1 rebounds while shooting 47.6 percent from the field. He joined the Lakers as the 36th overall pick in the draft and signed a three-year contract worth $5.95 million, which includes two fully guaranteed seasons and a third-year team option.
Dalton Knecht, who is also spending his entire NBA career with the Lakers so far, is in the middle of his second season in the league. Through 48 appearances this year, the guard has averaged 4.2 points and 1.4 rebounds per contest while shooting 44.8 percent from the floor and 30.7 percent from three-point range. As the Lakers continue their push in the Western Conference standings, the organization hopes that giving its younger players additional development time will strengthen the roster moving forward while the team focuses on maintaining momentum during the remainder of the season.
