Bronny James says the Lakers’ summer shakeup has put him in a strange spot: one of the team’s longer-tenured players, and with more say in the gym than he’s used to.
That reality comes after a roster overhaul that followed LeBron James’ departure to the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason. Bronny James, though, stayed put and has remained part of the Lakers’ plans. He was among the group that traveled to Slovenia in August for a minicamp hosted by Luka Doncic, and he spent part of an appearance on the Mason & Ireland show reflecting on the trip.
“We had the Slovenia trip; that was great,” Bronny said. “… I mean, the city was great.
We had the [Ljubljana] Castle that was close to us. Then we went to Lake Bled, which is great.
The castle there. And then we played the course over there near Bled.
I mean, I want to go back to go to the Alps and stuff like that. The scenery and everything was great.”
The Lakers, by Bronny’s account, had a memorable time in Slovenia, and Doncic was clearly the center of it all. It was joked on the show that he could run for President tomorrow, and Bronny agreed. Still, the Slovenian star’s real job will be steering a new-look Lakers group after the offseason overhaul.
One of the newcomers is Ziaire Williams, and he believes the time the team spent together in Slovenia will carry over once the games start. Bronny was asked about that point and said he feels the same way, while also noting that the group has settled in well since returning home.
“Everyone’s great,” Bronny said. “We’ve been in the gym, working.
It’s good vibes everywhere. I think that again, the Slovenian trip helped, because we got back home, we got to work, and it’s coming around.”
The turnover has left Bronny in an unusual place. The Lakers drafted him with the No. 55 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and only Austin Reaves and Jarred Vanderbilt have been in the organization longer. Bronny said he’s aware of that.
“I was thinking about that,” Bronny said. “… It’s crazy.
Yeah. Yeah.
I’m like got a bigger voice in the gym right now, and it feels weird.”
For a player entering his third NBA season, that kind of turnover says plenty about where the Lakers are right now. ESPN’s insiders are already projecting the team to take a step back and have also labeled them the most disappointing team next season.
Bronny says he’s trying to do his part to make that prediction look silly.
“All across the board I’m trying to get better,” Bronny said. “I’m playing with Luka and AR still.
So I’m going to be off ball when it’s needed. I need to be able to knock down shots and create for others.
And I think I’ve been doing a good job with that this summer.”
In 2025-26, Bronny averaged 2.9 points, 0.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.1 blocks per game for the Lakers. Those numbers still leave plenty of room for growth, even if there were signs of progress. He’s already shown he can defend, but the offensive side is where he still has the most to prove.
When asked what he sees as his offensive calling card, Bronny pointed to versatility.
“I feel like I can be a secondary ball handler to Luka and AR and generate whatever offense and catch-and-shoots and pick-and-roll offense and stuff like that,” Bronny said. “So I just pride myself in being an all-around player, and whatever is needed, I’m up for it.”
A huge jump next season shouldn’t be expected, but the Lakers need to keep seeing movement in the right direction. If that doesn’t happen, the front office could eventually be forced into a tough call.
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