Bronny James made the most of his recent assignment to the G League. While some players could have allowed it to hurt their ego, James took it upon himself to showcase his skill set and remind the Los Angeles Lakers of the untapped potential he still possesses.
Moreover, James revealed why he should be spending more time in the G League: Extended minutes actually give him a chance to develop and refine his game in real time.
James and the Coachella Valley Lakers picked up a 104-98 win over the Salt Lake City Stars on Friday, Nov. 6. A number of Lakers played well, including Cameron Carr with 13 points in 19 minutes, Cole Swider with 23 points and eight rebounds, and Chris Mañon with 17 points and three steals.
James decided to steal the show, however, by going off to the tune of 22 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and a steal in 29 impressive minutes.
Welcome back, Bronny James! 🔥
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) November 7, 2026
He dropped 22 PTS and 7 AST to lead the @CValleyLakers to an opening night victory! pic.twitter.com/duaBmia9l5
Though this may stoke the flames of intrigue in regard to what he can manage in the NBA, the Lakers would be wise to give James extended run in the G League due to the availability of minutes and touches.
Bronny James drops 22 points, 7 assists in G League win
In the G League, James receives chances to run the offense and flex his skills as a point guard. In the process, he learns in real time what areas of his game need polish and what he may need to rely on less as it becomes clear that perceived strengths aren't at the level they should be.
Yes, the level of competition doesn't quite meet the NBA standard, but James still gets chances to play more minutes than he would on the Lakers' main roster.
James has played 12 minutes in five appearances for Los Angeles' NBA team in 2026-27. He cleared 20 minutes just five times in all of 2025-26, finishing the season at 8.9 on average. Though his own limitations play a part in his restricted playing time, it's still difficult to improve in games without the opportunities to do so.
By consistently playing in the G League, James can begin to develop a style of play that actually suits the Lakers by receiving enough minutes to actually gain tangible knowledge of how he can help.
Bronny James needs the minues to actually see what works for him
Yes, James is a third-year player whom fans would like to have seen more from already. He's also just 22 years of age, however, and is under contract through 2027-28. If the intention isn't to develop him, then why have him on the roster at all?
What the G League can enable the Lakers to do is cultivate a role for James that reflects what he'd be doing in the NBA and develop his skill set within that structure.
The end result could be James proving that he's good enough to thrive in the G League but not quite capable of excelling in the NBA. That possibility shouldn't be a deterrent, however, as the Lakers have stronger NBA guard depth than in the past and now have the perfect excuse to actually figure out who James is as a player.
If his success in his 2026-27 G League debut is a sign of things to come, then James can clearly benefit from spending time with Coachella Valley.
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