The Los Angeles Lakers are building around Luka Doncic, and the only way Bronny James is going to blossom into a piece of the nightly rotation is by becoming a lethal catch-and-shoot option. James won’t have the ball. Luka is one of the most ball-dominant guards in the NBA, and the Lakers want Austin Reaves to be the secondary creator. That means their role players have to be ready to shoot whenever they receive a pass.
Bronny shot 38.6 percent from 3-point range this season, but just 29 of his 57 attempts were catch-and-shoot opportunities. Fans saw plenty of hesitation to fire away from the 21-year-old. He often made the extra pass or tried to drive when he was wide open behind the line. Luka is going to create open looks, and teams don’t respect Bronny’s shooting. There will be plenty of easy shots. James has to bury them.
The 21-year-old made a leap in his second NBA season. Having him on the roster no longer looks like a favor to LeBron, but Bronny hasn’t cracked the nightly rotation. That will only happen if he becomes a strong catch-and-shoot option.
Bronny James must improve as a catch-and-shoot option to fit next to Luka Doncic
During the regular season, the Lakers' offense was 6.6 points per 100 possessions worse with Bronny James on the floor when low-leverage minutes were removed. He needs the ball to be effective, but the Lakers have several creators ahead of him in the pecking order. That won’t change. Bronny isn’t an elite point guard. He must embrace playing off the ball to fit on the Lakers.
Head coach JJ Redick proved he didn’t trust the young guard in the second round of the playoffs. Redick chose to use rookie Adou Thiero over Bronny in the rotation when LA needed someone.
Fans can’t be shocked. Austin Reaves, LeBron, and Marcus Smart were running the offense. Bronny would have played completely off the ball and had to defend against the Thunder’s length and athleticism. It would have been a disaster, so Redick went in a different direction.
LeBron’s future is uncertain. He is an unrestricted free agent and will likely be forced to take a pay cut to return for a ninth season in Los Angeles. The Lakers drafted Bronny because the legend wanted to play with his son. After two years, Bronny can’t just rely on his father. He needs to prove he fits what the purple and gold are building.
Lakers fans know Luka Doncic needs shooting and defense around him to win. The superstar led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals in 2024 using this recipe. LA will try to build a similar roster, which puts pressure on Bronny. Become a lethal catch-and-shoot option or find a new team with a more on-ball role available.
The Los Angeles Lakers want to upgrade their roster this summer, so Bronny James should be in the lab working on his catch-and-shoot game. It is his only path to sticking in LA and becoming part of the rotation. The 21-year-old showed flashes as a shooter this season, but he needs to do it consistently to cement his place with the Lakers.
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