Throughout his entire NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers, and even more so after his father left the team, Bronny James has been under heavy scrutiny and has an uncertain future in the league, as he has yet to carve out a consistent spot in head coach JJ Redick’s rotation.
Trade rumors and reports about potentially being cut from the Lakers roster have hit a peak this summer, and while there have been no exact signs James won’t be on the team this upcoming season, there’s a very real chance this is his last shot to prove himself as an NBA-caliber player.
With that, the son of LeBron James was urged to follow the path of Oklahoma City Thunder champion Cason Wallace and go all-in on becoming a high-level perimeter defender to keep his spot on the Lakers roster going forward.
Bronny James Urged To Follow Cason Wallace To Remain On Lakers Roster
Writing for LakeShowLife.com, Tyler Watts pleaded with James to follow the route of Wallace in Oklahoma City to become a strong defender and carve out a spot in the Lakers rotation this upcoming season.
“The Los Angeles Lakers showed faith in Bronny James this summer, but they need him to crack the rotation to stick long-term. They want to compete for championships and need depth to do it,” he wrote. “Bronny isn’t going to be an on-ball creator in LA. He must embrace the role Cason Wallace has played for the Oklahoma City Thunder as an undersized guard who plays stout defense, spaces the floor, and can create offense when needed. The Lakers should feed James tape of Wallace and convince him this is his path to playing time.
James has proven to be a solid guard defender despite being a bit undersized. He’s shown great offensive talent in the G-League, but that skill set has yet to show itself at the NBA level.
That being said, if James can become someone who can play in the backcourt alongside Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves and guard top opposing ball handlers, that could both allow him to play more minutes, save himself from being waived, cut, or traded, and potentially earn himself a new contract.
“Head coach JJ Redick said Bronny should be studying TJ McConnell and Davion Mitchell in 2025,” Watts added. “That is exactly what the Lakers need Bronny to transform into if he wants to crack the rotation and get a second contract with Los Angeles.”
James is on the outside of the Lakers rotation right now, and changes will need to be made if he wants to continue his career in the NBA.
LeBron’s Son Isn’t Guaranteed To Stick Around In the NBA
Though never confirmed, the speculation was that the younger James was only drafted by the Lakers because his father was the franchise star.
However, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer left Los Angeles this summer just after the Lakers guaranteed his son’s contract. That doesn’t mean he’ll be left off the roster for this season, but it also doesn’t mean he’s poised to play more seasons in the Purple and Gold.
In a separate article, Watts explained how if James doesn’t improve soon, there’s a good chance the Lakers drop him from the roster.
“The Lakers must quickly figure it out. Bronny has to improve and cement himself in the rotation. Redick gave him the blueprint, but James isn’t following it,” he wrote. “Bronny has an opportunity. That is all fans can ask for after his first two years. Now it is on the guard to adapt, or it will be time for the purple and gold to move on.”
Regardless, all signs point to James sticking on the Lakers roster for the upcoming 2026-27 NBA season. Still, there’s no assumption he’ll be a consistent contributor, especially if he doesn’t level up his game in the brief minutes he’ll be allowed to play under Redick.
There were also reports about James potentially being involved in a trade, but as he is still on the Lakers roster this late in the summer, it’s hard to see him being moved before opening night.
Despite all of this being said, there’s a real chance James could be moved at some point this season, especially as the Lakers are hunting for a title. If he doesn’t prove his worth, the NBA is a brutal business, and the 21-year-old could be off the team if there’s no improvement shown early on.
Bronny James Gets Harsh Ultimatum To Avoid Lakers Trade, Roster Cuts