EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — LeBron James and Anthony Davis will play at some point during the Los Angeles Lakers ' first two preseason games this weekend, getting the two superstars back to work quickly after a busy summer that included Olympic gold. James and Davis could play in one or both games, new coach JJ Redick said Thursday before the Lakers headed to the Coachella Valley.
Los Angeles will face Minnesota on Friday and Phoenix on Sunday in Palm Desert, California. “They’re going to play this weekend, but we’re still talking through what minutes and rotations look like for everybody,” Redick said after the Lakers' third practice of training camp. That means James could be on the court at Acrisure Arena this weekend with Bronny James, his oldest son and the Lakers' second-round draft pick.
No father and son have ever played in the NBA at the same time, let alone on the same team. LeBron and Bronny are both anticipating that moment — and so are the rest of the Lakers, who can see the James family's natural competitiveness coming out already in camp. “It’s fantastic to be able to be here and witness it in practice,” Davis said Wednesday.
“Bronny hit a 3 over (LeBron), (and) everybody was talking smack in Bronny’s favor. Then Bron came down and just bullied somebody and got a layup. .
.. Even though they weren’t matched up, the competition is there, and that’s what we love to see.
” Bronny, who turns 20 on Sunday, is expected to get significant playi.