The Los Angeles Lakers need Bronny James to improve, but they seem to have no plan to develop him. He went down to the G League for the season opener and led the Coachella Valley Lakers to a win. Bronny had 22 points and seven dimes, but struggled to run the offense. That was on Nov. 6. Since then, James has been left waiting on the Lakers bench, hoping for garbage time.
The 22-year-old hasn’t played in an NBA game that wasn’t already decided this season. He is in his third year. The Lakers have a $2.4 million team option for the 2027-28 season. James will be an unrestricted free agent in 2028, if not sooner. LA needs him to improve quickly if Bronny is going to be a long-term piece for the purple and gold.
He isn’t going to make a massive leap sitting on the bench waiting for a blowout and playing in the stay-ready games. Bronny needs reps to avoid another NBA disaster. The Lakers know that, which makes their lack of a plan to develop James baffling.
Bronny James needs reps if Lakers want him to be a point guard
James has never played point guard. He wasn’t a big-time playmaker in high school. Bronny played next to Isaiah Collier at USC. The 22-year-old has been a two-guard for most of his basketball life, but the Lakers want him to become a point guard.
The experiment has gone poorly so far. Bronny struggled in the preseason when a Collin Sexton injury opened up extended minutes. James was so bad that Jaden Hardy and Chris Manon passed him in the rotation by the fourth preseason game. Bronny hasn’t done anything to give Redick and the coaching staff faith since. Even the Coachella Valley Lakers had a 98.1 offensive rating with Bronny running the show.
The Lakers can’t expect him to just learn by watching. James needs reps and experience running the show. Los Angeles is a serious title contender. They don’t want to sacrifice games as Bronny struggles to run the offense. That means the only place for James to get reps is in the G League.
Bronny James should be playing in the G League
Bronny is on a standard contract. He is one of the Lakers' 15 players this season, but they demoted him ahead of the G League season opener. James started at point guard and played 29 minutes. It was a great experience. Yes, Bronny struggled, but he needs to have those difficult moments to improve.
Coachella Valley has played three games since without James. In that time, Bronny got 4.4 minutes in a blowout against the Bucks. He wouldn’t have even played that much, but Austin Reaves, Luka Doncic, and Collin Sexton all picked up injuries in the second half. Bronny was the only point guard left, and the Lakers were outscored by 13 points with him on the floor.
Playing 30 minutes per game for Coachella Valley would have done a lot more for James’ development than the limited NBA run. Bronny needs to have the keys in the G League and run the offense. Even if the team struggles, that is how the Lakers maximize Bronny’s potential.
The lack of a plan to develop James should be worrying.
Lakers may have already given up on Bronny James
Head coach JJ Redick talked about the young players getting reps and work on their games after practice on Friday, but he didn’t mention Bronny. The coach called out the group for not running the offense and quickly hoisting shots when given an opportunity. James is the point guard of that unit. The offense they run ultimately falls on his shoulders.
Bronny isn’t even trusted to finish off the game in garbage time at this stage. He needs to improve significantly for the Lakers to trust him in the rotation. LA isn’t trying to maximize his development or he would be playing in the G League. He got one game before just waiting for a chance on the Lakers bench.
It is now or never. The Lakers want to compete for the championship, and depth is more important than ever. They can’t have Bronny taking up a roster spot if he’s not developing or ready to contribute. Right now, James is just eating up space. The Lakers signed Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams to minimum contracts this summer. They could use Bronny’s spot to upgrade their roster.
The Los Angeles Lakers need a clear development plan for Bronny James. It doesn’t appear to exist right now. They should put him in the G League and let him run the offense if they are sold on James being a point guard. There will be struggles, but that is how a young player grows. It is time to let him sink or swim. If James struggles, the Lakers need to move on.
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