The Los Angeles Lakers did not trust Bronny James to play a second in their 119-115 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night. The door was wide open after they traded Gabe Vincent for Luke Kennard and saw Luka Doncic exit in the second quarter with a hamstring injury. Austin Reaves was on a minute limit in his second game back after missing 19 with a calf. By the end of the night, AR was the only point guard left healthy, and Bronny still couldn’t get on the floor.
Head coach JJ Redick doesn’t trust the 21-year-old to play when the game is on the line. The Lakers used LeBron James and Marcus Smart as the primary ball-handlers when Reaves needed a breather. They went small down the stretch and primarily relied on Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber, and Jarred Vanderbilt off the bench.
The Lakers will literally play guys out of position over giving Bronny a shot. The franchise wants to win, so that should tell fans everything they need to know about his NBA-readiness. The younger James has struggled all season, and fans dreaming of him getting a shot immediately had their hopes dashed.
Lakers can’t trust Bronny James to play NBA minutes
Fans thought James was behind Luka and Vincent in the pecking order, but a wakeup call was delivered against the 76ers. Vincent was traded to Atlanta early in the day, and Doncic did not play for the final two and a half quarters. Redick was using Austin Reaves and Marcus Smart at the one as the Lakers made a fourth-quarter comeback to snag an impressive win.
Nobody should be shocked. Bronny averages 1.9 points and 1.1 assists in 6.8 minutes per game over 27 contests this season. He is shooting 38.8 percent from the field in a small sample. What about any of his numbers screams that he deserves more opportunity?
The Lakers have three stars and are trying to avoid the Play-In Tournament in the loaded Western Conference. Even with the victory, they are just one game up for the final guaranteed playoff berth, and two games separate the third and seventh-seeded teams. Every win matters down the stretch.
The Lakers can’t afford to play Bronny. He is a fan favorite, but his negative value over replacement player (VORP) suggests the franchise is better with him on the bench. Los Angeles is not missing the playoffs in hopes of developing Bronny. Rob Pelinka’s track record in the draft is a problem, and the organization should be focused solely on winning games right now.
Bronny James is not an NBA rotation player at this time. The Lakers should get him valuable minutes in the G League, where he can work on running the offense, spacing the floor, and making an impact on both ends. Bronny is an undersized guard, so he must be pesky and play with energy to maximize his production.
The Los Angeles Lakers clearly do not trust Bronny James, and fans who were thinking he would finally get minutes were instantly disappointed. The 21-year-old still has time to develop, but he will be glued to the bench for the rest of the season. Fans will only see him in blowouts. Sadly, that is all Bronny can handle right now.