Bronny James is well aware of the big target he has on his back. Ever since his Lakers draft, Bronny has remained a point of scrutiny, and that increased several folds after his Summer League showings. Bronny’s 15-point accumulation in 3 outings has already sparked an uproar but Daddy James is not concerned.

While the critics are lambasting Bronny for his performances, LeBron James has voiced his backing for his son. “You can’t take anything, as far as stat-wise, from California classic and Summer League and bring it once the season starts,” the 39-year-old said after Bronny’s Lakers debut. Now, the 19-year-old has received words of warning from a former rival of his father, Paul Pierce.

During the latest episode of UNDISPUTED, the former NBA champion discussed Bronny’s struggles in the Summer League. “Not too much right now. Still summer league. Still trying to work his way into seems like game shape, NBA game flow,” Pierce told Skip Bayless. But he did not forget to flag a potential setback for Bronny. “Maybe a small concern on the shooting skip because for me, I look at him as a 3 and d type of guy. If he’s gonna make any kinda impact in the NBA or actually get some significant NBA minutes, you gotta knock down shots,” Pierce added.

Thus far, Bronny went 0-12 from downtown and has an FG of 23% which is not even remotely close to the desired output. In Bronny’s words, he’s trying to impress the coaches with his defensive shift, but as Pierce alluded, he needs to start converting those shots if he hopes to have significant minutes on the court in the regular season. “If you can’t knock down shots, you won’t get on the floor. So, you know, I’m saying that, still summer, still time to develop. So I wouldn’t put too much stock in the Summer League,” Pierce explained.

But his co-host, Skip, did not share the same sentiment with Pierce. After praising Bronny for his mental attributes recently, Skip took a different route to assess Bronny’s performance.

Skip Bayless fails Bronny James in his eye test

Skip Bayless has a well-documented history of being a LeBron James hater. So when he praised Bronny earlier this month, it came as a surprise. But with Pierce discussing his take on Bronny, the veteran analyst sang a different tune than before. “I’m watching and my bar is set way lower for him right now because … it’s the Summer League. But, just eye test and then I kinda soul test. What’s deep down? What’s that little voice deep down inside you saying to you as you watch him play?” Bayless said on the same episode. “My biggest takeaway so far in three games, small sample size, is, he’s not playing as hard as I thought he was gonna play.”

With 3 disappointing games behind him, it is imperative for Bronny to start knocking down more shots and the most immediate opportunity will come later today when the Lakers will take on Pierce’s former team, the Celtics. The Lakers have taken the court on 4 different occasions in the Summer so far. Among those, Bronny has already missed the game against the Warriors after swelling on his left knee. But for the Cs game, he is available. His fellow draftee Dalton Knecht will also be available, who has been putting out contrasting performances from that of Bronny. With these backs against the walls situation, it is high time for James Jr. to show his mettle before entering the harshest environment of the NBA.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what brand maker, Leonard Armato, had to say about the deadly duo, Shaq and Kobe, check out this video