The Los Angeles Lakers’ media frenzy has officially passed, with the focus now shifting to the start of training camp. While I continue to digest all the nuggets from these past several days like my stomach after I crush a 40-piece nugget from Burger King, Lakers fans were given a ton of talking points from JJ Redick.
Bronny James FC, buckle up because there is a ton for you to get excited about. That is exactly where my focus will be today.
JJ Redick wants to find his chances to rest his 'heavy minute guys'
After the Lakers made their big free agent additions of Quentin Grimes, Walker Kessler, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Collin Sexton, I did get worried for Bronny’s future. Not because I thought he was in line to start at center before they signed Kessler or anything like that. Sexton came in and snatched the backup point guard role from him when it felt like Bronny was in line for an everyday role.
Sexton’s role hasn’t been altered. He is still expected to be slotted ahead of Bronny on the depth chart. However, Redick's comments to ESPN LA about resting the team's main guys definitely bode well for James.
"We've been forced, because we haven't had depth, to play our guys heavy minutes. We'll look for opportunities to decrease workloads for some of our more heavy minute guys."
When using the term 'heavy minute guys,' Redick is likely referring to Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and some of the team's other projected starters. However, when Luka and AR are resting, there are going to be minutes up for grabs at the guard spot when Sexton isn’t playing.
That gives Bronny a path to getting real PT this season.
JJ Redick is giving Bronny James' third season a dose of new life
After his second season, Bronny felt like he was trending up and close to being someone an NBA coach could feel comfortable trusting to play meaningful minutes. He isn’t fully developed. He isn’t the ideal dribble, pass, and shoot archetype we know fits Redick’s system. Despite that, James still has a ton of valuable NBA tools, particularly defensively.
Bronny is a stocky guard who stays in front of his man, can shut off driving lanes, be a playmaker defensively in the passing lanes, and is an overall good team defender. Pair that with his impressive 38.6 percent 3-point clip with the Lakers and the 45.6 percent clip in the G League, and he projects well as a 3-and-D guard. Playmaking-wise, he has good passing chops and sees the court well.
His weakness is his handle, but the best way for him to develop and grow as a ball handler is with on-court reps. After Redick's comments, the opportunity to do that has reemerged.
If Bronny actually gets minutes and continues to trend upward, it could also make Sexton someone Pelinka could look to flip around the deadline for an upgrade at the forward spot. While the Lakers are going into next season with more depth than they’ve ever had in the Redick era, missing out on Jonathan Kuminga has still left this team with a hole at the forward spot.
If Bronny performs when he gets playing time, Sexton could become the piece LA leverages to add that missing forward come trade season.
When the Sexton signing was made, it felt like a death sentence for Bronny’s development. Although he could spend time in the G League, what he needs is real NBA reps. Redick's appearance on ESPN LA offers reason to believe he’ll be getting exactly that.
Add us as a preferred source on Google