Los Angeles Lakers: Is There Room for Bronny James in the Rotation?

The son of NBA superstar LeBron James could make his mark next season for Los Angeles.

Jul 15, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) competes against the Boston Celtics during the second half at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports / Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

Bronny James has been one of the top stories from the 2024 NBA Draft a few months ago. And he’ll undoubtedly continue to be, as the first father-son duo in NBA history alongside longtime superstar LeBron James.

There’s plenty of theatrics that have come from the pairing already, with LeBron recently weighing in on whether or not “dad” will be used on-court this season. But the one true question has yet to be answered: can Bronny crack the team’s rotation in the upcoming season?

For now, all signs point to no.

The Lakers are somewhat up against the clock with LeBron at age 39, and Anthony Davis’ extensive injury history. Every win will count in what’s sure to be another brutal Western Conference campaign. And the team can afford to roll out much inexperience in general.

With Bronny at 6-foot-3, the rotational spots are likely already shored up by guards D’Angelo Russell, Gabe Vincent, Austin Reaves, Dalton Knecht and Jalen Hood-Schifino.

James also looked somewhat behind the curve at NBA Summer League, averaging 8.8 points on just 35% shooting overall and 16% shooting from beyond the arc.

It’s not inconceivable he could get some spot minutes in the NBA as early as next season. But his efforts will likely be better spent with the South Bay Lakers, prepping for his eventual time in the big leagues.

Still, the duo are sure to produce various moments throughout the season as the first father-son paring in the history of the league.

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