Bronny James is a lot closer to being a rotation player than a lot of his naysayers will want to admit. If the young guard really wants to secure his spot on the Los Angeles Lakers beyond any doubt, Bronny needs two major improvements on the offensive end: a tighter handle and quicker decision-making.
In the two years that James has been a part of the franchise, the Lakers guard has displayed plenty of promise with the growth that has been showcased as a member of the South Bay team. Toward the end of the 2025-26 season, Bronny brought that to Los Angeles.
James emerged as the final member of the rotation for a Lakers team that was missing Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. It was clear JJ Redick had found trust in his developing guard. Bronny rewarded his faith with some encouraging moments in the postseason.
Doncic and Reaves is who this next version of the Lakers will be built around. If Bronny wants to make his push for regular backup guard minutes, and not have his time Los Angeles exclusively tied to his dad, he will need to develop a complimentary offensive style for those two.
Bronny James should already know how to fit with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves
The defensive abilities of James already make him a strong fit beside Doncic and Reaves. That is why the focus comes so heavily on offense.
Bronny is built in the mold of those pesky perimeter defenders who can hound their matchups. Add a little bit of added discipline that comes with the basketball IQ developed from more minutes plus experience, and James should be a noticeable positive on that end.
On offense, James needs to stretch the floor around the Lakers star who are expected to lead the way moving forward. Bronny improved as a shooter down in the G League. However, the leap still needed from him is being quicker on the trigger to take his shots.
Doncic and Reaves can both create shooting opportunities on the perimeter. James needs to take them. In that split second of the ball coming his way off a pass from one of those two stars, Bronny must make a quick and decisive read on pulling the jumper.
If James does want to put the ball on the floor in those instances, that is where the needed improvement to his handle comes in. With Doncic, Reaves, and several others expected to be ahead of him in offensive initiation duties, Bronny just needs enough control over the rock for quick bursts of attack.
The April 2 matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder showed how much more polish James still needed with his handle. Due to the blowout, Bronny got an extended run on the court. When harassed by the opposing bulldogs of OKC, that basketball did not always find itself safe and secure.
Getting his quick reads and ball handle to take that next step in his growth would force the Lakers to genuinely consider keeping a spot for him without necessarily factoring in LeBron James more than they have to. Bronny has his path to a future with the franchise. He just needs to keep adding to the trust that has already been formed.
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