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With LeBron James no longer in Los Angeles, Bronny James enters his third NBA season with a cleaner shot at proving he belongs in the Lakers’ rotation on merit.
Barnes Backs Bronny to Make His Own Name
Bronny James has spent his NBA career dealing with one question that rarely follows other second-round picks: Would he be in the league without his father?
Former Los Angeles Lakers forward Matt Barnes believes Bronny now has the perfect opportunity to answer it.
Speaking to TMZ Sports, Barnes said Bronny has enough talent to establish himself in the NBA after LeBron James’ departure for Philadelphia. While acknowledging the debate over whether LeBron helped his son get drafted, Barnes argued that Bronny can now prove he deserves his spot without his father alongside him.
Barnes believes the separation could even benefit the younger James. Bronny is heading into Year 3 with the Lakers, and any minutes he earns will be much harder to dismiss as a favor connected to LeBron
Numbers Are Moving in the Right Direction
Bronny’s second season offered some evidence of progress.
He appeared in 42 games during the 2025-26 campaign, averaging 2.9 points and 1.2 assists while shooting 40.9% from the field. More encouraging was his work from long range, where he hit 38.6% of his attempts after shooting only 28.1% as a rookie.
Injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves also created additional opportunities late in the season. Bronny made his first NBA start and picked up more minutes down the stretch and during the playoffs
Those are still modest numbers, so nobody should be rushing to price him as the Lakers’ next breakout star. But improved shooting gives Bronny a much better chance of becoming useful in a supporting role.
Lakers Rotation Won’t Hand Him Anything
The catch is that Los Angeles has plenty of competition for backcourt minutes.
Doncic and Reaves remain major pieces, while Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton add further competition. Bronny will have to earn his place rather than simply wait for minutes to appear.
That could make his playing-time markets interesting for bettors once the season gets underway. Sportsbooks may offer props around points, three-pointers and other statistical categories, but Bronny’s role will need to become clearer before those markets carry much appeal.
His contract situation adds another layer. Bronny’s $2.296 million salary for 2026-27 became fully guaranteed in June, while Los Angeles holds a team option reportedly worth around $2.49 million for the following season.
This season, then, is about more than escaping his father’s shadow. It could help determine whether the Lakers see Bronny as part of their longer-term plans.
No More LeBron Excuse
LeBron’s exit changes the conversation around his son.
If Bronny receives meaningful minutes now, critics can no longer easily argue that the Lakers are keeping him on the floor to satisfy their biggest star. Los Angeles is building around Doncic, and winning games takes priority over preserving the James family storyline.
That leaves Bronny with a straightforward challenge: shoot well, defend, make smart decisions and force the coaching staff to keep playing him.
Barnes thinks he can do it. For Bronny, proving him right would finally allow the basketball to become more interesting than the surname.
