What do the Lakers need as other guards around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves? Shooters, ideally ones who can defend as well.

That is leaving Bronny James squeezed. The Lakers have assigned Bronny to the Coachella Valley Lakers of the G League, along with first-round pick Cameron Carr. This is mostly about getting the two young Lakers run they aren’t getting with the big club, which is off to a 7-2 start.

Bronny has played 12 minutes across five games so far this season, largely in mop-up duty at the end of games. His being sent to the G League isn’t new, in each of his first two NBA seasons, he bounced between the G League and the big club.

The issue is the Lakers need guards who are shooters and Bronny is not that, even if he hit 38.6% from 3 last season (he is 0-for-1 from deep this season). To his credit, Bronny has really developed through his first two NBA seasons. He has a good feel for the game, he can defend well (but at 6'2" doesn’t really guard up), he can get into the paint some and make good reads, but he’s not the guy the Lakers need right now.

Carr, the Lakers’ first-round pick out of Baylor, is incredibly athletic but is raw, which is why he has played in a total of four minutes across three games. He needs to be down in the G League just to get some run.

The Lakers G League team opens play Friday at the Acrisure Arena just outside Palm Springs. The Lakers moved their G League franchise there this summer from El Segundo (they used to practice at the Lakers facility).