Bronny James Embraces Point Guard Role in Year 3 With Lakers

Bronny James is officially a veteran now — a sentence that would've sounded absurd a year ago. Entering his third season, he's tied with Dalton Knecht and sits just behind Austin Reaves on the Lakers' tenure chart. Reaves keeps needling him about the "vet" label, and James admits he's still adjusting to the idea.

The numbers remind you where he's starting from. James logged 42 games as a rookie-plus last season (2025-26), averaging 2.9 points on 40.9% shooting, and barely registered on the box score in eight playoff appearances (1.5 points, 50% from the floor). But the role he's chasing this fall is different: with LeBron no longer the automatic voice in the room and nine new teammates to integrate, James says he's being asked to run the point and organize the offense.

What He's Actually Working On

James describes himself as naturally reserved, but he's leaning into the communication side of point guard — getting teammates into spots, picking up full court every possession, setting the tone defensively the way he did in the playoffs. JJ Redick has emphasized that pressure defense, and James says he's embraced it. Guarding Luka Doncic and Reaves in practice every day is the kind of trial by fire that either breaks you or sharpens you.

He's also reworked his jumper, spending the summer on the speed and fluidity of his release while adding movement shooting. He's held his weight around 215-220 but stayed slim enough to move. James framed camp as a process — it'll take a few games for the new rotation to settle, and he knows carving out minutes on a deep, talented roster won't come easy.

The Fantasy Angle

Let's be honest about the tiers here. Reaves is the Laker who matters for your lineup — our rank #39 overall (#19 among guards) off 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 38.7 fantasy points per game in 2025-26, even if his last five games dipped 3.9 below his average. James sits at #399 overall and #194 at the position, with just 6.5 fantasy points per game last season.

There's one flicker worth noting: James has gone +6.3 fantasy points above his season average over his last five, a bigger swing than Knecht or Jarred Vanderbilt. That's encouraging for his development, not your redraft roster. Unless injuries push him into the starting backcourt — something he himself flagged as his responsibility to be ready for — Bronny is a deep-dynasty watch and nothing more in standard leagues. Keep the tab open, don't spend a roster spot yet.