Bronny James appears to have pushed his way into a real place in JJ Redick’s plans for the Los Angeles Lakers.
That’s a notable shift for a player who spent much of his first two seasons either on the bench or with the then-South Bay Lakers, the team’s G League affiliate. The talk around him this offseason wasn’t exactly gentle, either. There were rumors he could be cut ahead of the 2026-27 season, and that chatter only grew louder after LeBron James left the Lakers for the Philadelphia 76ers.
But the latest read on Bronny is much more encouraging.
James has appeared in 69 regular season games for the Lakers, along with 10 playoff games, and that kind of run matters for a young player trying to stick. It may not look like a massive sample, but in the NBA, even limited game experience can help separate a player from the pack. For Bronny, it also gives him a foundation to build on as he tries to turn a roster spot into something more permanent.
The belief around him now is that he’s moved beyond just surviving on the roster and into a role Redick is actively considering. Redick laid out a group of guards and creators when discussing substitution patterns, saying, "I think with Collin, (Quentin Grimes), and Bronny, as he continues to develop.
Jaden, if he's in the lineup, there are guys that can handle and guys that can create and initiate offense. My expectation is that because we've obviously done some work on some substitution patterns, Doncic and Reaves will stagger," .
That matters because Redick has long been viewed as someone who believes in Bronny’s potential. Now, that support looks like it could carry into the 2026-27 season, with Bronny in position to be part of the rotation moving forward.
In Other News...
Lakers Teammate Just Pushed Luka Doncic Into A Wild New Debate
Training camp has opened with new faces around Luka Doncic, and even before the first preseason games, the conversation around the Lakers newest star is already turning lofty. Sandro Mamukelashvili added fuel to it during an ESPN Radio interview, praising Doncic as perhaps the best offensive player in the league right now, a kind of compliment that carries extra weight when it comes from a teammate seeing the day-to-day version up close.
The debate, of course, is bigger than one sound bite. Doncics scoring and playmaking have long invited comparisons to names like Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant, but the final line in his rsum still separates him from the all-time standard-bearers: he has not yet led a team to a championship. For the Lakers, that makes every rave review feel both natural and loaded, because admiration is easy in September, while the real test comes when the season starts asking for more than highlights. [Read more 🡒]
Austin Reaves Sounds Convinced Lakers Finally Fixed Their Biggest Weakness
Austin Reaves spent part of training camp sounding like a player who thinks the Lakers may have finally addressed the issue that has lingered around them for years. After finishing last season 15th in team defensive rating and ninth on offense, Los Angeles entered the 2025-26 campaign knowing it needed more stopgap help on the other end if it wants to be taken seriously as a title threat, and the new arrivals have quickly become part of that conversation.
Reaves pointed to Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams, Adou Thiero and Walker Kessler as additions who bring length, competitiveness and defensive versatility to a roster that could use all of it. The optimism around camp is understandable, but the real question is whether the Lakers can turn those traits into a consistent identity once the games count, because for all their scoring, their championship case likely hinges on whether the defense is finally ready to hold up. [Read more 🡒]
Luka Doncic Had Austin Reaves Cracking Up At Lakers Practice
Luka Doncic brought a little extra energy to Lakers practice, and Austin Reaves could only laugh at it. While Reaves was doing a media interview, Doncic stepped in and drilled a flurry of half-court shots, turning the session into an impromptu shooting display and briefly stealing the rooms attention.
Reaves commented on the streak in the moment, and the video backed it up by showing Doncic make four of five attempts from beyond half court. It was a small snapshot, but it fit the easygoing chemistry and competitive banter the two have already shown while working together this season, with both players carrying meaningful roles for Los Angeles. [Read more 🡒]