It has been a difficult week for Bronny James. The 22-year-old Los Angeles Lakers guard entered his third NBA season hoping to take a leap, but a rough four-game preseason has drawn blunt public criticism from his own head coach. Here is what the latest Bronny James news actually says, grounded in what has been reported this October.
JJ Redick’s Honest Assessment
After the Lakers’ 101-89 preseason loss to the Golden State Warriors on October 14, 2026, head coach JJ Redick gave a strikingly frank evaluation of James’s preseason form when asked about it by reporters.
“I thought he had a really nice September and a good summer with us. I don’t think he’s played well in the four preseason games, but he’s had good practices,” Redick said. “Some of it’s just rhythm. Some of it’s who he’s playing with, right?”
Redick added context that partly explained the struggles: James has logged many of his minutes in the second halves of games, playing alongside two-way players and recently signed teammates. “Some of it is like the group he’s with. I think that is not necessarily setting him up for success,” he said, referring to lineups that included players who had been with the team for only a few days.
The Preseason Numbers
The statistics behind Redick’s comments are sobering. Across the four preseason games, James totalled just 11 points against 12 turnovers — a ratio that drew heavy criticism online. He shot 4-of-15 from the floor and 1-of-7 from three-point range, recording 13 assists to go with those 12 turnovers.
The low point came on October 14 against Golden State, when James went scoreless in 11 minutes of action, missing both of his shot attempts while committing four turnovers with zero assists. Earlier in the preseason, he had shown flashes of playmaking, including 5 assists in the October 6 game at Golden State and 6 assists in 22 minutes off the bench in the October 8 win over Sacramento.
First Season Without LeBron
An important piece of context: this is James’s first NBA season without his father as a teammate. Drafted 55th overall by the Lakers in the 2024 NBA Draft, James spent his first two seasons in the league alongside LeBron James. Now, as he enters year three, he is being judged on his own development — a shift he has publicly said he welcomes.
Last season offered reasons for optimism: James appeared in 42 regular-season games, shot 38.6% from three-point range, and featured in the Lakers’ first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets. He has also consistently earned praise for his defensive intensity, which coaches and analysts view as his most NBA-ready skill.
The Roster Decision Ahead
The Lakers now face a roster decision as the regular season approaches. James’s $2.3 million salary for 2026-27 is fully guaranteed, and the team is currently carrying 16 players, meaning one player must be cut or sent elsewhere before opening night on October 21.
One widely reported option is keeping James in the organisation while giving him extended development time with the team’s G League affiliate. That path would preserve his guaranteed contract while giving him the consistent playing time and on-ball reps that are hard to come by on a veteran-heavy Lakers roster.
Fan Reaction and What’s Next
The online reaction to the preseason struggles has been harsh in places, with lowlight compilations circulating widely on social media. At the same time, some analysts have pointed to the September practices Redick praised and to James’s strong defensive flashes as evidence that writing him off after four exhibition games would be premature.
The Lakers have one more preseason game, against the Denver Nuggets, before the roster cutdown and the October 21 season opener. Whatever decision is made, this preseason has made one thing clear: the spotlight on Bronny James is not dimming, and his third season will be defined by how he answers it.
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