Bronny James has been putting in the work over the summer and has hinted at his role on the new Lakers for the 2026-27 season.
The younger James is entering his third season with the Lakers, and it will be the first time he is playing without his dad on the same team.
If he wants to get re-signed by LAL, Bronny will need to carve out a role for himself, it’s not abundantly clear where he fits into the rotation right now.
He spoke honestly about what he’s focused on this summer in a recent interview.
“All across the board I’m trying to get better,” Bronny said. “I’m playing with Luka and AR still, so I’m going to be off ball. When it’s needed, I need to be able to knock down shots and create for others and I think I’ve been doing a good job at that this summer.”
The 21-year-old was also asked about what type of player he sees himself becoming.
“I feel like I can be a secondary ballhandler to Luka and AR and generate whatever offense,” Bronny said. “Catch-and-shoot, pick-and-roll offense and stuff like that. I just pride myself in being an all-around player and whatever’s needed, I’m up for it.”
Former Lakers player Matt Barnes has some faith that Bronny will surprise people now that he’s out of his dad’s shadow.
“A lot of people want to say his dad got him drafted, and that may be true, may not be true, but Bronny has a lot of talent,” Barnes told TMZ Sports. “I just thought if he would even stay one more year, he could have did it on his own.
“So now he’s going into year three. I definitely think he’s got some talent, and he’s someone that’s just going to have to show the world to shut people up. I think it’s great now that obviously Bron is gone and he’s kind of on his own. I think that’s something he was looking forward to — to just say, hey, I could do this without my dad.”
READ MORE: Dirk Nowitzki Hints at Future Role at Dallas Mavericks