The vibes are off for Bronny James in this year's preseason. As he kicks off his third year in the league and his first season playing without his dad, LeBron James, the guard is finding it tough to lock in. Across the first four games, he’s put up 11 points while racking up 12 turnovers.
Real talk: the latest performance against the Warriors in Vegas was a rough one. Bronny went scoreless in 11 minutes, shooting just twice and committing four turnovers.
Coach's take
Lakers coach JJ Redick isn't sugarcoating it. He confirmed the young guard hasn't "played well" during these exhibition games, though he emphasized that Bronny looked much sharper during practice. Redick pointed to the constantly rotating lineups as a factor, noting that playing with teammates who haven't been in the system long isn't exactly setting him up for success. "I thought he had a really nice September and a good summer with us, but I don't think he's played well in the four preseason games," Redick said.
What's next?
The stakes are high. The Lakers currently have 16 players on the roster and need to trim at least one spot by Monday's cutdown deadline. Bronny, who has a guaranteed $2.29 million deal for this season, will have one final chance to find his groove against the Nuggets this Friday before the real season starts on October 21.
Why it matters
After splitting time between the Lakers and the G League last season, Bronny is fighting for his role in the rotation. With the team eyeing their opener against the Warriors, he needs to prove he can translate those solid practice sessions into actual game-time results.
