Los Angeles Lakers' Bronny James Has Path To Earn Larger Role In NBA

Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James dealt with some struggles as a rookie, but as he earned playing time, he improved throughout the season. The former USC Trojans guard split his time between the NBA and G League and is now preparing to take another step in year two.

James is predicted to have a larger role with the Lakers next season, being used more consistently in the rotation. Former NBA legend and Basketball Hall of Famer Paul Pierce discussed James on FS1’s Speak.

Pierce believes James is developing, but he needs to see more from the former Trojan in order to agree that James will have a bigger role in the Lakers’ rotation next season.

Mar 19, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) inbound the ball in the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

“I gotta see a little bit more from Bronny,” Pierce said. “When I watched him last year, he got better as the year went on. Obviously, he got a lot of experience in the G League.”

James played just 11 games with the South Bay Lakers in the G League, but he started for each appearance. In 11 games, James averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.9 steals. His time in the G League gave James valuable minutes that helped his growth as a rookie.

“But when you’re playing at an NBA at a high level every night in the regular rotation, it’s got to be one thing you can hang your hat on every single night and I got to see what that going to be for Bronny,” Pierce continued.

Mar 17, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James during the game against the San Antonio Spurs at the Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

James played in 27 games with the Lakers, averaging just 6.7 minutes. He averaged 2.3 points, 0.7 rebounds, 0.8 assists, and 0.3 steals. He started just one game, the final matchup of the regular season when Los Angeles benched its starters ahead of their playoff run.

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James’ best game came against the Milwaukee Bucks. He played 30 minutes, scoring 17 points with three rebounds and five assists. Outside of the one start and the matchup against the Bucks, James did not get consistent playing time in the NBA, making it difficult to have a concrete prediction on his role in the NBA next season.

“At 6-2, you know most guys at 6-2 they bring something, like dynamic, something you can say ‘Hey all right he’s a small guard but he has impact on the defensive end,’” Pierce continued. “I’m curious to see what Bronny brings to the table to say he’s great at this and you only gotta be great at one thing, you know what I’m saying?”

“If Bronny’s going to be put into a regular rotation, if he can become great at something, whether it’s his playmaking ability, his ability to knock down shots consistently, or even distribute the ball, or even on defense if he comes a lockdown defender,” Pierce said.

Apr 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James Jr. (9) celebrates with center Trey Jemison III (55) after scoring against the Houston Rockets during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

James dealt with much outside noise throughout the season and admitted it did become a distraction. Heading into the 2025-2026 season, the former Trojan wants to work on blocking out distractions and focusing on improving his game on the court.

While James did not have the most consistent rookie season, the former Trojan showed signs of improvement. He is young, only playing one season with USC before declaring for the draft. He has had to also overcome health issues. James will now look to take another step in the league, earning more playing time with the Lakers.

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