If Bronny James wants real minutes for the Los Angeles Lakers this season, it is pretty clear that it is not going to come down to his name, especially after seeing his rookie year. It will come down to his defense. Specifically, whether he can become the kind of aggressive, reliable point-of-attack defender that Lakers head coach, JJ Redick, can trust.
Defense is the on skill that will make or break Bronny's spot in the rotation
The Lakers have scoring firepower. They have great scorers already in Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves. Bronny being able to fill up the bucket would be a huge boost, but they do not necessarily need him to put up points right now.
They need someone who can pressure the ball, fly around screens, and defend with energy. According to Jovan Buha of Buha’s Block, Bronny actually ranked fifth on the team in deflections per 36 minutes last season, a sign that he is active and disruptive, even in limited action. That is exactly the kind of thing the Lakers are missing in the backcourt.
This offseason, Los Angeles made sure to go out and grab Marcus Smart to help set the tone defensively. That move makes it harder for Bronny to find playing time.
it is important to note that Smart's health is always a question mark, especially over the last couple of seasons. That creates an opportunity, not a guarantee, but a real shot, for Bronny to step in and take that next step as a defender.
He has got the tools: 6-foot-3 frame, 6’7.25” wingspan, and 40-inch vertical. Now it is about turning tools into production. He showed flashes during Summer League notching 14.3 points, almost four assists, efficient shooting, but again, that is not where his role will be won.
Bronny’s role has to be something different. Something scrappier. Something louder on the defensive end. If Bronny can prove that he can indeed develop on the offensive end of things, then there should be no reason to doubt that he can do the same on the defensive end.
Buha called it out clearly: “The key is going to be him as a point-of-attack guy, as a defensive pest.”
To the Lakers’ credit, they gave him space to develop in the G League last season. He looked more comfortable the longer the year went on. But comfort is not the goal anymore, impact is.
If Bronny commits to being a tone-setter on defense, his minutes will come. If not, the rotation’s too deep to wait on potential.