Bronny James is not off to the best start for the Los Angeles Lakers. He has now played in three Summer League games — two in the California Classic and a third in Las Vegas — and his offensive numbers are abysmal: 6-of-26 shooting from the field, 0-of-12 from 3-point range. He has scored a combined 15 total points across the three games, and the Lakers have lost all three.
“I just feel like I’m in a little slump right now,” James told reporters after Friday’s loss to the Houston Rockets.
Shooting, however, has been a weakness for James since he played at the amateur level. In 25 games at USC, James shot 36.6% from the floor and 26.1% on 3-pointers. James is a relatively small guard. He doesn’t even stand 6-foot-2, and without his father’s legendary athleticism, he can’t get to the rim nearly as easily. He needs to be able to make jump shots to carve out a niche in the NBA. Thus far, he has failed to do so in summer league.
That could change as soon as Monday when the Lakers suit up again to face the Celtics, but developing his overall offensive game will be a process measured in years, not single summer league performances. James acknowledged that his growth may need to come at the G-League level and said that he would accept any assignment given to him by the Lakers this season. “I’m just looking forward to any basketball I play, no matter what level I’m playing at,” he told reporters.
James has already flashed the considerable defensive upside that made him a viable NBA prospect. He is deceptively strong for his size and navigates the court well. His high IQ and court awareness give him the tools he needs to generate turnovers, and his eventual profile as a long-term pro would probably need to be as a defensive stopper against opposing guards.
That’s a viable career archetype, but such players need to be at least somewhat reliable offensively to see the court. James is far from that right now, and it will probably take a lot of work to get him where he needs to be.