It is safe to say that no non-star has drawn more attention than Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James has over the last two years.
James, 22, is getting his opportunity to shine for the Lakers this preseason, especially with the team dealing with minor injuries to some star players. Luka Doncic rested one game, Austin Reaves sat out for two and Walker Kessler, L.A.’s marquee offseason acquisition, has yet to suit up this season.
While James by no means has asserted himself as a preseason superstar, he continues to take baby steps toward his promising potential.
Move Over, Joker, the Lakers’ New LeBron is Here
Yes, James has had his lapses this preseason. He has committed some rather bad turnovers, missed shots and blown defensive assignments. The 22-year-old former second round pick is still a work in progress, but what he is starting to show more and more of is his point guard ability. He may not be his dad when it comes to orchestrating an offense, but James has 13 total assists this preseason, the most in the NBA. Even more than that dominant, slow-moving guy in Denver. (No, we’re not saying James is even in the same stratosphere as Jokic as a passer.)
“James’ efficiency does remain a concern to keep an eye on. He only attempted three shots, making one, so the sample size against the Kings isn’t robust,” Bleacher Report’s Adam Wells wrote. “However, the 22-year-old is shooting 30.8 percent overall in three preseason contests. It is his best preseason field-goal percentage, up from 29.7 percent during his rookie year and 25.7 last season, but you would hope for more improvement if he is going to turn into a notable contributor in the regular season. One encouraging sign from James was his playmaking and passing. He dished out six assists in his 22 minutes and is averaging 4.3 per game in the preseason.”
It may not be James’ shooting that could give him the best chance to earn more minutes. If James can prove to coach Redick that he can be a quality table-setter off the bench, that would unlock a lot more playing time for the young guard.
“The Lakers need to make up for some loss in playmaking with LeBron James no longer on the roster,” Wells wrote. “Dončić and Austin Reaves will get the bulk of the responsibility, but James could play himself into more minutes as a ball-handler when they are off the floor.”
James Trying to Maximize Opportunities
After an offseason saturated with trade rumors, James still finds himself with the franchise that drafted him No. 55 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. But that doesn’t mean his position with the team is secured long-term.
After his father left the Lakers, James was rumored to be the next man out, with Philadelphia 76ers trade rumors cluttering the internet. Later, speculation erupted that James could be waived before the regular season, and while that is still technically a possibility, all signs point to James remaining a Laker this season. Of course, anything could change around the trade deadline in February, but the Lakers do have until late June to either pick up or refuse James’ team-option for the 2027-28 season.
In the meantime, James will have to make the most of his opportunities. He may play big minutes some nights and zero other nights. If he shows consistency with the playing time he gets, that’ll earn him more chances.
Lakers’ Bronny James Surpasses Nikola Jokic in Impressive Stat in Win vs. Kings