Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James had an interesting rookie season. Although he wasn’t a breakout star, it isn’t appropriate to say he was a bust either. In light of this, as per NBA insider Sean Deveney, an anonymous executive in the West expressed that the 20-year-old is expected to play a much bigger role for the Lakers in his sophomore season. He said:
“The fact is, he was a lot better player in April than he was in October, and definitely in July… If he can show that wasn’t a fluke, he is going to start getting 10, 15 minutes a night because the team is going to feel like they can trust him. I think he is going to do all that. He is going to be a regular for them next year.”
Bronny was drafted late in last year’s draft. As the 55th overall pick, there wouldn’t have been very high expectations of the guard. However, considering his lineage, as the son of Lakers’ star LeBron James, the media spotlight was harsh on the USC product.
The expectations certainly weighed down on James, who admitted that the attention and scrutiny added a lot of pressure. But, in hindsight, the 20-year-old had a decent rookie season considering his position in the draft.
As the anonymous executive mentioned, the young guard displayed two very different sides to his rookie season. While showcasing impressive defensive instincts and tenacity early on, James eventually displayed some serious shot-creating ability after cultivating his game in the G-League.
James’ averages for his rookie season give very little away. In 6.7 minutes played per game, in only 27 games in the regular season, he notched an average of 2.3 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 0.7 assists. The highlight of his rookie season was when he notched his 17-point career-high against the Milwaukee Bucks in March.
Given the limited minutes he was receiving in the regular season, the Lakers decided to give the 20-year-old some time to develop in the G League. This made all the difference. James flourished in the environment, allowing him to develop the necessary confidence to take a step forward in the right direction.
With the South Bay Lakers, James played in a total of 11 games, averaging 34.2 minutes per game. Given playing time, the 20-year-old shone brightly, averaging 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 5.4 assists, on shooting splits of 44.0% from the field and 38% from beyond the arc. He also notched a 39-point performance during this time. Unfortunately, this was also not free from critique.
These numbers certainly display a lot of promise regarding his development. Although undersized, the guard has displayed enough skill to become a relevant role player on the roster.
With extended minutes on the cards, James could very well integrate into the Lakers’ system to contribute off the bench. As the Lakers look to add more roster depth, their options for building through the draft may also be worth looking at.
