The Lakers’ roster reset has left Bronny James in a very different spot heading into his third NBA season.
Los Angeles has moved on from LeBron James and remade the group around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, and that overhaul naturally puts the spotlight on what comes next for Bronny. For the first time, he’s preparing for a season in the NBA without his father beside him in Los Angeles.
Bronny, the soon-to-be 22-year-old USC product, said he’s not getting caught up in the uncertainty. According to ESPN Los Angeles, his focus is on getting better in every area and being ready to fit whatever role the Lakers need from him.
He described that role in simple terms: playing off the ball when necessary, knocking down shots, and creating for teammates. He also made clear that he’s willing to handle secondary ball-handling duties and do “whatever is needed” during the 2026-27 campaign.
The timing matters, too. The Lakers currently have 16 players on guaranteed contracts, which means one player has to go before the Oct. 5 opener against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena. Bronny is squarely in that conversation, along with Dalton Knecht, Jaden Hardy, Jarred Vanderbilt and Jake LaRavia, all of whom have come up in trade talk or as possible cut candidates.
Even with that pressure hanging over the roster, Bronny says he’s been encouraged by the team’s new mix. He said he’s enjoying his new teammates and believes the recent minicamp in Slovenia was a positive step for the group.
The Lakers still have a decision to make, and the clock is ticking. With less than a month before tipoff, the path to 15 players is getting clearer by the day - and Bronny remains right in the middle of it.
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P.J. Washington and Derrick Jones Jr. have both surfaced as possible targets, which says plenty about where this thing may be headed. The Lakers need more than a body at the four, they need a player who can hold up defensively and fit cleanly alongside their core, and that kind of fit usually comes at the cost of patience and a willingness to keep exploring the market. [Read more 🡒]