The Los Angeles Lakers desperately needed another guard when Marcus Smart and Austin Reaves dealt with foul trouble, but they still didn’t turn to Bronny James for even a second of action. The 21-year-old is healthy, but clearly buried at the end of the bench. It was a dreadful preseason for Bronny that put his flaws on full display. It couldn’t be clearer that it's time for the Lakers to move on from LeBron’s eldest son.
The franchise dumped RJ Davis, who played better in the preseason, because he had a non-guaranteed contract. LA is hard-capped at the first apron and doesn't have enough room to fill their 15th roster spot. If they cut Bronny, the Lakers wouldn’t be able to replace him.
Los Angeles wants to compete for a championship and needs players who can help immediately. Bronny isn’t there. He struggles to shoot, defend, and make plays. There is just no way to play him, which is a massive problem for the Lakers.
Bronny James instantly proves why he shouldn’t be on the Lakers
The Lakers started Gabe Vincent in place of the injured LeBron James because they had no better option. They turned to Marcus Smart off the bench, but were forced to go back to Vincent when the veteran picked up four first-half fouls. It was the perfect moment to go deeper into the bench, but head coach JJ Redick didn’t trust Bronny or Dalton Knecht. The Lakers only played nine players in the opener because of it.
Things got even worse when Austin Reaves picked up his fourth foul early in the third quarter, but still no Bronny. Redick kept riding Reaves and Smart with foul issues. It told Lakers fans all they need to know about how coach Redick feels about the younger James.
Bronny isn’t a rookie. He played just 181 minutes over 27 contests in his first season and was limited to mop-up duties. The younger James produced a negative win shares per 48 minutes and had a negative-0.2 value over replacement player (VORP).
Fans hoped for a year two leap, but it never came. There was some summer league excitement, but it was quickly squashed in the preseason. He is just not an NBA player at this stage.
The Lakers don’t have time to wait. Luka Doncic is in his prime, and LeBron turns 41 in December. Their best chance to win a championship with this roster is right now. Bronny can’t help, so he should be sent packing as soon as possible.
The Los Angeles Lakers desperately need perimeter defensive help to complement Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. They signed Smart to help, but he is best suited to defend larger players at this stage. LA must make a trade for a stopper, and they should look to include Bronny James in that deal. It is their only path to serious title contention, so the pressure is on Rob Pelinka and the front office to work their magic.
Hopefully, Pelinka can pull off another stunner like the Luka deal. Lakers fans will be dreaming it becomes reality as the brutal Bronny truth sets in.