"He's either two years away or two years away from being two years away" - Bill Simmons on why Bronny James will not play a lot as a rookie

The Los Angeles Lakers are entering a new phase of the LeBron James era with a new coach, JJ Redick. It remains to be seen how the rookie coach will fare, although many are skeptical that he is the right man for the job given the fact this will be his first experience coaching an NBA team. The retired sharpshooter will try to start proving people wrong in training camp, allowing him to establish his rotation and playbook.

Redick already knows what starting lineup he will be fielding once the regular season starts. A question now is who will make up the rest of the rotation, and Bill Simmons believes LeBron's son, Bronny, shouldn't be seeing significant minutes for the Lakers.

"He's either two years away or two years away from being two years away," Simmons said of Bronny in a recent episode of his podcast . "I just don't see how he's going to play in a rotation for a team that's trying to make the playoffs. It's inconceivable to me."

The outlook for Bronny

Los Angeles is already under fire for selecting the 19-year-old guard, who didn't appear to have given NBA franchises a reason to draft him even in the second round. The decision screams nepotism for many folks, but the Lakers have consistently said that Bronny deserved to have his name called during the draft.

Given that the organization selected him near the end of the draft, where possibly worse players have been chosen in the past, it was a low-risk maneuver. Still, the younger James has yet to prove he deserves to crack the Lakers' rotation anytime soon, especially after an underwhelming Summer League.

Many, including Simmons, agree that Bronny should be a G League fixture, although seeing the prospect make it to the Purple and Gold roster on opening night and share the court with LeBron wouldn't come as a surprise.

However, suppose Redick decides to place the USC product ahead of several other deserving players in the depth chart this coming season. In that case, skepticism about the team's playoff aspirations will undoubtedly grow stronger.

Related: Shaquille O'Neal compares Bronny's situation to his son Shareef: "He's still trying"

Where Bronny needs to get better

Of course, the younger James becoming a serviceable NBA player in the future is not impossible. He seems to be spending time in the lab to hone his craft, with LeBron looking to act as a mentor.

Right now, the Lakers could use a point-of-attack defender, and if Bronny can improve drastically in that area, he would give Redick enough reason to consider including him in the rotation.

What would make it more difficult for the coaching staff to overlook the younger James is if he can become a knockdown outside shooter, as the ideal teammate for LeBron is a solid 3-and-D piece. Accelerating his development would definitely shake things up in La La Land, but it's way more realistic that LeBron's son will spend most of the season developing in the shadow and maybe playing some trash time minutes with the Lakers.

Marketing-wise, this is a perfect move from the Lakers, as Bronny's jersey sales are going through the roof, and the fact that he and LeBron are going to be the first-ever father-son duo on the NBA court together is historic enough.

However, Bronny averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists a contest in 25 games for USC, where he shot a miserable 36.6% from the field, 26.7% from the three-point line, and 67.6% from the free-throw line. Those numbers prove that Simmons hit the nail on the head with his take and that Bronny is far from becoming a serviceable NBA player.

Related: LeBron James says Bronny was only 5 when he predicted that he would make the NBA: "Oh, he is special"