Lakers guard Bronny James is adjusting to life ahead of his second pro season, as he tells Dave McMenamin of ESPN. James, who still deals with occasional health issues after suffering a cardiac arrest in the summer of 2023, is looking to improve his conditioning and develop his defense. After his second Summer League stint, the 6’2″ USC alum seems to feel a bit more secure in who he is and his own upside.
“My confidence level is, for sure, taking a leap,” James told McMenamin.
James’ head coach JJ Redick, a rookie in his own role in 2024/25, believes the 20-year-old can potentially crack the team’s rotation sooner rather than later — provided his fitness improves.
“The biggest thing for Bronny is that he has to get in elite shape,” Redick told McMenamin. “That’s the barrier of entry for him right now. And if he does that, I think he’s got a chance to be a really fantastic player in the NBA.”
Lakers athletic trainer Mike Mancias explained how James, son of All-Star L.A. teammate LeBron James, can continue to build on his conditioning.
“His conditioning is like a basketball 401(k),” Guthrie said. “It is all about daily deposits… That 401(k) will be great because he’s been putting in the work starting now, starting in the offseason, focusing on his diet, focusing on sleep, focusing on all those things. That’s all part of conditioning. It’s all tied together.”
There’s more out of the Pacific Division:
- Former Suns director of safety, security and risk management Gene Traylor has been fired by Phoenix after he sued the club for discrimination, harassment and retaliation, sources inform Baxter Holmes of ESPN. “Mr. Traylor was terminated from his position as a security manager because an independent, outside investigation concluded that he violated company policies with respect to confidential information about security operations and he was intentionally untruthful with the investigator,” Suns senior VP of communications Stacey Mitch said in a statement to Holmes.
- New Kings center Dario Saric is determined to play meaningful minutes for Sacramento after riding pine with Denver for most of 2024/25, per Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. The 31-year-old spoke with gathered reporters after a practice with the Croatian national team, as the club gears up for the second round of the 2027 FIBA World Cup pre-qualifying matchups. “I went to Sacramento, passed medicals, talked to the coach and general manager,” Saric said. “I received positive feedback. I hope to get minutes at the four and five positions. But you never know for sure. I thought I was going to play in Denver too, but I ended up sitting on the bench.” Instead, the 6’10” vet appeared in just 16 games for the Nuggets.
- In case you missed it, restricted free agent Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga remains frustrated by his stalemated contract talks with Golden State.
The Lakers are in trouble if Bronny cracks the rotation.
Dude is terrible.
Game aside, how does someone even get in the league with such health issues. Which are apparently ongoing.
Bronny is not cracking that starting 5 but could be a useful bench player when they need defense. Bronny does have skills but still very raw and needs a lot of time in the G league this year. Laker fans should be worried about Kecht he looks like a 1 skill set player that can only hit 3s and nothing else.
Bronny is trash man. Give it up he is not a NBA player. What position does he play? Just wondering. He has no playmaking abilities and no handles so he’s not a point guard. He cannot score or guard in twos in the NBA so he’s not a shooting guard. So therefore you need a specialty ability and he has none. He’s a below average defender cuz he can’t guard guys like Maxie for 2 or 3 minutes. He can’t guard any of the NBA point cards. His jump shot is not consistent. Every time he steps on the floor he will be a negative because they will haunt him out and score on him and he can’t make ant of the point up on offense. These are facts. He’s only on the team because LeBron could have opted out the year before now that they have new owners and they have Luka LeBron is basically gone. I mean we’ll cut Brany next year for sure and he will not be on an NBA team. Ronnie at best is a GG league player. He’s not really even a overseas player because there’s better options at guard for oversee team
I’m wondering if the Clippers would be interested in Dario Šarić? He worked well with Chris Paul when both were with the Suns three years ago. Trade partners?
Dario has no complaints. Denver paid him and paid him well to ride the pine.
“James’ head coach JJ Redick, who was going through his own rookie season in 2024/25”
Say what?
As coach of the lakers
Thanks, Lil D. That wasn’t apparent from the way Alex worded it.
Reworded to make it clearer.
I’ll never understand why the team would need to suggest that a player should be in tip top shape?
I would think, he would already be in tip top shape. From his family connections.
It seems like that is the one thing he would have already had going for him at the beginning.