Bronny James Helped Play Role of Anthony Edwards on Scout Team During Lakers Practice

Bronny James is helping the Los Angeles Lakers prepare for their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves by taking on the role of Anthony Edwards in practice.

Lakers head coach JJ Redick said the Lakers had James and Shake Milton serve as the Edwards stand-ins on the scout team during Wednesday's practice, per The Athletic's Jovan Buha.

The Timberwolves have meanwhile been using Joe Ingles to play the role of Luka Dončić in their own practices, according to Buha.

The Wolves and Lakers haven't played one another at full strength since Dončić arrived in Los Angeles this February.

The two teams matched up when Dončić and James were in the starting lineup on Feb. 27, but Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle were both out, and Edwards was ejected in the third quarter of the Minnesota loss.

What the Wolves do have is playoff experience facing Dončić, who averaged more than 32 points per game while leading the Dallas Mavericks to a five-game series victory over the Wolves in last spring's Western Conference Finals.

Redick recently said the Lakers are using Dončić's experience against Minnesota as a resource ahead of their own playoff matchups.

"There are nuances to what teams are trying to do against certain opponents," Redick said about getting Dončić's scouting report of the Wolves, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

During that series the Mavericks double-teamed Edwards, who still averaged 22 points per game but wasn't able to find his usual dominance under Dallas' coverage.

Edwards is likely now preparing for similar treatment in Los Angeles. Wolves guard Mike Conley said that Edwards has been studying the Lakers ever since Minnesota's first-round opponent was set, per Chris Hine of the Minnesota Star Tribune.

"He’s been locked in since we knew we were playing the Lakers. He was already texting the group and getting us all ready and watching film and getting ready to go, so I know he’s going to be ready," Conley said, per Hine.

The Lakers and Timberwolves tip off Game 1 in Los Angeles on Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. ET.