Bronny James might be the most famous player on the Los Angeles Lakers. Even after adding Luka Doncic, former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, and former first overall pick Deandre Ayton in recent months, LeBron James and his son are the biggest names on the team.
Bronny was drafted 55th overall in 2025 simply to appease his father, who was the face of the Lakers at the time. In the moment, using a late pick to keep James happy seemed smart. Since then, Doncic has emerged as the team’s centerpiece.
When Bronny played, it was clear that he was not NBA-ready. However, he has skills on both sides of the ball and could emerge as a capable player. Last season, he was more of a sideshow. This year, the Lakers need him to step up.
GettyLeBron and Bronny James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Los Angeles Lakers Need More from Bronny James
When the Lakers drafted James, he was praised as a solid perimeter defender and showed promise in his rookie year and in the summer league.
Last season, however, he played in limited action and was underwhelming. He finished with averages of 2.3 points, 0.7 rebounds, 0.8 assists, and shot a lowly 31.3% from the floor.
Behind LeBron, Doncic, and Austin Reaves, the Lakers have scoring in spades but need help on the defensive end.
“They signed Marcus Smart to be a lockdown perimeter defender, but his injury history and recent trend towards defending bigger players create issues,” outlined FanSided’s Tyler Watts. “If Smart can’t guard on the ball, where do the Lakers turn?”
In a traditional sense, Bronny might be the second-best point-of-attack defender on the team, behind only Smart. However, offensive inconsistencies and the lack of a reliable jumpshot could keep him on the bench, even if he fills a position of need.
“If the younger James proves he’s not ready for NBA minutes, the Lakers may quickly be out of options over the 82-game regular season grind,” Watts added. “They need everyone as injuries strike. Bronny must quickly prove himself, or the Lakers need to move on.”
Getty Bronny James of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket.
Bronny James Will Be Ultimate Lakers’ Test
Since trading for Doncic, the Lakers have made it clear that they still value James, although it’s obvious that Doncic is at the center of their plans moving forward.
LeBron, while still talented, will turn 41 years old this season and is heading towards unrestricted free agency. He could demand a trade, although it seems likely that he will finish the season in Los Angeles before weighing his options.
With LeBron not a centerpiece of the Lakers’ long-term plans, keeping him happy isn’t a top priority, despite what the Lakers’ brass might say. Bronny is signed through next season before his team option kicks in, so the Lakers can’t waive him, and if he proves to be unreliable, he won’t command much trade value.
At only 20 years old, he has plenty of time to show that he belongs in the NBA. If he flounders, the Lakers will be presented with a test. Do they keep him in a clear effort to keep his father happy? Or do they try to cut ties with him, even if it means damaging their relationship with his father?
Depending on how the Lakers go about dealing with Bronny, it could send a clear message to Doncic about his role as the face of the franchise, or it could prove that Los Angeles isn’t quite ready to part ways with LeBron.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post How Bronny James Will Be Ultimate Litmus Test for Los Angeles Lakers appeared first on Heavy Sports.