Bronny James is back with the Lakers. Or we thought so. After putting on a show in the G League, including leading South Bay to an 18-point win over the Valley Suns, the rookie guard had been recalled just in time for L.A.’s matchup against the Jazz. The Lakers clearly liked what they saw from Bronny and were looking to bolster their backcourt depth.

James spent the last two days with the South Bay Lakers, sharpening his skills before getting the call back to the main roster. The former USC star has been making waves in the G League, putting up 22.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. But during his dominant performance against the Valley Suns, he had a moment on the court that scared everyone.

Which derailed his plans to be back in the NBA. He has been ruled out of the match against the Jazz due to a  left forearm muscle strain. What had happened was midway through the fourth, with South Bay in full control, Bronny saw an open lane and went for it. He exploded toward the rim, throwing down a ridiculous poster dunk that had the crowd losing their minds.

But before the excitement could settle, disaster struck. His landing was anything but clean—he came down awkwardly, slamming onto his head and side. Teammates and trainers rushed to check on him, while from the sidelines, Savannah James could only watch, clearly worried about her son.

But fortunately he was alright. He got and finished the game. This injury is taking crucial NBA minutes away from the rookie as this was his chance with Dalton Knecht still processing what has happened.

With Dalton Knecht back, will Bronny James again see less playing time for the Lakers?

JJ Redick and the Lakers set the league on fire by trading Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic. But they didn’t stop there—they also struck a deal for Hornets big man Mark Williams, sending Dalton Knecht and Cam Reddish to Charlotte.

Lakers fans were already dreaming about banner No. 18, but then came the twist—Williams failed his physical, voiding the trade. That move could’ve opened the door for Bronny James to get more minutes since L.A. would’ve been down two forwards while adding just one center. But with everything back to square one, Bronny’s chances of cracking the rotation just took a hit.

Knecht has had his ups and downs as a rookie, but he’s still getting over 20 minutes a game. Bronny, on the other hand, has barely touched the court, with just 64 total minutes this season. There’s no real beef between them, though. If anyone should be frustrated, it’s probably Knecht, knowing the front office was willing to move him.

But hey, that’s the NBA. If stars like Doncic and Davis can get dealt, nobody’s off-limits.