Bronny James’ crucial summer for his Lakers future
Apr 19, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) takes a shot in the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
The Summer League in Las Vegas represents a decisive turning point for Bronny James. LeBron James’ son is starting his second season with the Los Angeles Lakers, in a context where every game counts to prove his worth as an NBA player.
A contract that reveals the stakes of the situation
According to John Hollinger of The Athletic, Bronny James‘s contract structure reveals the importance of this period. The 20-year-old player has a fully guaranteed contract this season, but the situation becomes more precarious afterwards. « If LeBron James is no longer a Laker after this season, it’s hard to see the team continuing with Bronny unless he’s proven himself by then; next year’s contract is only 50% guaranteed, » explains Hollinger.
This contract clause means the Lakers could part ways with Bronny after the season if he doesn’t show significant improvement and if LeBron leaves the team, whether by announcing retirement or via free agency.
Technical challenges to overcome
For Bronny James, standing at 6’2″, the path to a lasting place in the NBA appears complex. « Currently, James is navigating a narrow path as a 6’2″ 3-and-D player. Either the 3-point shooting or the defense needs to be exceptional enough to compensate for his size and limited ball handling, » analyzes Hollinger.
The expert identifies an alternative: « The other path for him to become a keeper is to improve his ball handling enough to legitimately play point guard. Historically, that’s an uncommon development after age 20. »
Bronny’s stats in his first NBA season remain modest: 2.3 points per game with 31.3% field goal percentage and 28.1% from 3-point range in limited minutes. However, he showed his potential in G League with 21.9 points, 5.4 assists, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game, albeit in a small sample of 11 games with the South Bay Lakers.
The California Classic only offered 25 minutes of playing time to Bronny, with few notable actions except for a spectacular dunk reminiscent of his father’s style. The Lakers now expect much more from him during the Las Vegas phase to justify his presence on the roster beyond this season.
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