Former NBA forward, podcast host, and Bronny’s second biggest supporter after his dad, Matt Barnes believes LeBron James’ off-season move to the Philadelphia 76ers might be the single best development for Bronny James’ career. Speaking with TMZ Sports at Ryan Garcia’s open workout in Los Angeles, the 14-year league veteran offered a candid assessment on the 21-year-old guard. The All The Smoke frontman, who has long predicted Bronny’s NBA breakout, asserted that LeBron’s eldest was privately eager to step out from under his father’s imposing shadow in LA.
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Barnes addressed the widespread scrutiny surrounding Bronny’s future with the Lakers, acknowledging the young guard’s raw potential.
“A lot of people wanna say his dad got him drafted, and that may be true, may not be true,” Barnes told TMZ Sports. “But Bronny has a lot of talent, and I just thought if he would’ve stayed just one more year, he could’ve did it on his own.”
With LeBron heading east to join a revamped Philadelphia 76ers superteam, Bronny enters his third season with a guaranteed contract and an unrestricted opportunity to carve out his own identity in the new look Lakers. Barnes noted that stepping out of the shadow of the NBA’s all-time leading scorer is an evolution Bronny likely welcomed.
“I think it’s great now that obviously Bron is gone and Bronny is kinda on his own,” Barnes added. “I think that’s something that he was kinda looking forward to, to kinda just say, ‘Hey, I can do this without my dad.'”
Offering advice for how the guard should navigate the ongoing media noise, Barnes kept his message direct: “Man, just keep doing your thing. Shut the other s*** out. I think his dad has probably been able to teach him that. The only thing that matters is his circle, and his game.”
As much as the former Lakers star’s words matter, Bronny himself admits the pressure is a little thick.
Bronny James feels odd stepping into new role without LeBron James
Barnes’ comments come as the Lakers undergo a complete organizational refresh. Following LeBron’s departure, Rob Pelinka executed a massive roster overhaul, bringing in a slate of new faces including Walker Kessler, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Kevon Looney, Matisse Thybulle, Jaden Hardy, and rookie Cameron Carr alongside Bronny’s high school teammate, Ziaire Williams.
Uniquely, the structural transformation leaves Bronny as one of the longest-tenured players on the roster behind Austin Reaves and Jarred Vanderbilt. Joining ESPN LA’s Mason & Ireland live from the Lakers Youth Foundation Golf Tournament, Bronny admitted that stepping into a veteran leadership space feels unexpected.
“It’s crazy,” Bronny said regarding his sudden place in the Lakers hierarchy. “I’m like, I got a bigger voice in the gym right now, and it kind of feels weird.”
To build early chemistry within the revamped group, the new franchise cornerstone, Luka Doncic, hosted a four-day team-building mini-camp to Slovenia, setting a collaborative tone ahead of training camp. While Bronny averaged 2.7 points in 8.1 minutes per game across his first two seasons, he enters the 2026-27 campaign focused on expanding his offensive versatility to complement Doncic and Reaves.
“I’m all across the board. I’m trying to get better,” Bronny explained regarding his off-season development goals. “I’m playing with Luka and AR still, so I’m going to be off-ball when it’s needed. I need to be able to knock down shots and create for others, and I think I’ve been doing a good job with that this summer.”
Now operating independently of his father’s presence, Bronny holds an unobstructed runway to prove he belongs on an NBA floor strictly on his own merits.