The Los Angeles Lakers are just a few weeks away from the start of training camp on Sept. 28, but they already have a problem finding playing time for Bronny James. LA signed Collin Sexton to a two-year, $19.2 million contract this offseason to be their sixth man. Sexton is a score-first guard with serious defensive issues. Head coach JJ Redick can’t play Bronny alongside him, leaving LeBron's son without a role.
The Lakers are building around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. They signed Walker Kessler and Quentin Grimes to be starters this summer. The purple and gold need a power forward and will have an open competition during training camp for the final starting spot. Bronny is 6’2 and has yet to crack the rotation. He isn’t starting, but minutes off the bench will be difficult to come by.
James is between positions on both ends of the floor. He is too small to be a two-guard, but doesn’t have the playmaking chops to play the one. The Lakers don’t want him guarding at the point of attack, but he doesn’t have the size and length to make a significant off-ball impact. LA can only play him in the second unit, but he doesn’t fit next to Sexton.
Lakers’ new depth will make it difficult to play Bronny James
Beyond the four starters, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Jake LaRavia, Jarred Vanderbilt, Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle, Jaden Hardy, and Kevon Looney expect to get minutes. That is 11 players before the young talent the Lakers want to develop is mentioned. Cameron Carr and Adou Thiero should get run if Los Angeles wants to maximize their games.
The Lakers don’t have on-ball reps for Bronny. Luka Doncic led the NBA in usage and scoring last season. Austin Reaves will be his co-star and is expected to produce monster numbers. The Lakers gave Sexton over $9 million per year to be their tertiary creator.
James’ path to playing time is becoming a stout perimeter defender and off-ball threat. He shot 38.6 percent from 3-point range last season. The improvement made the Lakers' decision to keep Bronny easier after LeBron James left for the 76ers. Asking the 21-year-old to significantly improve his defense and become a lights-out spot-up shooter in one summer is just too much.
Bronny James is facing a make-or-break season
James is extension-eligible right now. He is set to make $2.2 million this season and has a $2.4 million team option for the 2027-28 campaign. The 21-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2028 if a new deal isn’t worked out. Bronny needs to crack the rotation and earn a second NBA contract as soon as possible.
He played a career-high 375 total minutes in his second NBA season. The Lakers dealt with injuries to all three stars at different points, and Bronny only got a shot when key pieces were out. He has never averaged nine minutes per game or played in more than 42 contests in a season.
James must make a leap this year. Los Angeles isn’t extending him if he’s not part of the rotation. The Lakers want to win a championship with Luka. Doncic is in his prime, and depth is more important than ever in the NBA. James has to earn his roster spot this season.
Fit matters for Bronny James
The 21-year-old is not his famous father. Bronny is a role player. The undersized guard competes hard and continues to improve. The Lakers clearly see potential, but role players are only maximized in the right fits. Stars can play with anyone and make it work. The others must be put in positions to succeed.
Having a backcourt of Bronny and Sexton would be disastrous. They are two undersized guards that have had defensive issues in their careers. Sexton hasn’t appeared in a playoff game in his first eight years in the NBA. Pairing this duo would be disastrous on both ends. They don’t offer enough shot creation and can’t be hidden on defense.
Coach Redick will likely stagger his star duo, but even that won’t help. Doncic and Reaves will both play 35 minutes per game. In the minutes one of them is off the floor, Sexton will likely be on. Bronny simply doesn’t fit with any of these pairings.
The Los Angeles Lakers have a Bronny James problem. He must prove he is ready to be in the nightly rotation, but Bronny doesn’t fit next to Collin Sexton. He isn’t ready to be in the starting five, so it will take a significant leap for James to get minutes. Crazier things have happened, but it feels like Bronny will be glued to the bench again, waiting for an opportunity when someone misses time.
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