Concentrated stares, punching a hole through the back of your head, always push you to perform at your peak. That’s what happened yesterday when the newly demoted Bronny James played for the Lakers’ G-League affiliate, trying to show his coach, JJ Redick, that he’s still LeBron James’ son. Even if he had gotten a chance to start for the Lakers and scored 0 points, he still killed it in the G-League. Even so, it didn’t help his case, especially when you look at the latest injury report.

ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported on X, “Lakers’ injury report for Sunday. Bronny James and Adou Thiero will stay with South Bay and did not make the trip to Salt Lake City. Deandre Ayton, who did not practice Saturday because of an illness, is not on the report.” Yes! Bronny is suiting up for the South Bay Lakers again instead of joining the Lakers against the Jazz.

Though Bronny turned heads in the G-League last night, putting on a show that made you forget he’s technically “demoted.” By halftime, he had 10 points and five assists, steering South Bay to a 56–50 lead, while rookie Adou Thiero chipped in five points, two rebounds, and an assist before foul trouble cut his burst short.

Together, the duo Redick’s been eyeballing delivered instantly, setting the stage for a 20-point rout over the Santa Cruz Warriors. Bronny’s confidence to pull the trigger was on full display, finishing with 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting, and his off-ball energy made it obvious he wasn’t just jogging around for show.

On defense, Bronny brought the kind of chaos you’d expect from a Marcus Smart-lite, scooping up three steals and a block. Meanwhile, Thiero ran point on scoring with 19 points, adding four boards and three steals, while Bronny orchestrated the assists. It was one of those nights where everything clicked, the kind that makes you wonder why he isn’t starring in purple and gold instead of just proving a point in South Bay.

Even after such a strong showing, Bronny isn’t getting called back up to the Lakers just yet. He understands the reasoning behind the demotion. “I’m trying to focus now on bettering myself off the ball. Me and JJ have talked about all the ball handlers on the parent team, so I have to learn how to be effective off the ball. Have a .5 mentality,” Bronny said. The idea is simple: learn the game, gain confidence, and earn a rotation spot on merit rather than expectation.

His demotion traces back to earlier struggles, including a rough outing against the Bucks where he passed up multiple wide-open shots off Luka Doncic double-teams. That night, Redick let him have it: “Bronny, you got to shoot the f– ball.” Only two attempts all game, both misses, and Redick’s patience ran out. That moment essentially sealed Bronny’s South Bay assignment.

While Bronny is working on finding his rhythm, the Lakers’ focus is already shifting their focus toward their upcoming clash with the Jazz.

Deandre Ayton’s status: Likely to play?

Deandre Ayton skipped Lakers practice on Saturday thanks to a lingering illness, but don’t hit the panic button just yet. His name isn’t on the injury report, and the chatter around the team suggests he’s still a solid bet to suit up against the Jazz on Sunday. If he does not play, it could mean Jaxson Hayes gets bumped into the starting five and Maxi Kleber sees a few extra minutes off the bench but for now, Ayton’s presence is the biggest question mark heading into Salt Lake City.

When healthy, Ayton has been a force for the Lakers this season. Since dropping a season-high 29 points against the Trail Blazers, he’s averaged 17.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.0 block, and shot an absurd 75.3% from the field over his last eight games. He’s also strung together three straight double-doubles, including a dominant 20-point, 14-rebound showing in Tuesday’s win over the Jazz. Simply put, the Lakers are a noticeably different team when he’s on the court.

Sunday could mark a critical stretch in the Lakers’ pursuit of consistency. The team has won four of its last five games, but without Ayton in the lineup for the last two contests, they’ve had to adjust quickly. If he takes the floor, expect him to anchor the paint and lift the squad, proving why keeping him active is a big deal. His morning shootaround and pregame warmups will ultimately confirm if the Jazz will feel the full force of Ayton or if the Lakers will shuffle their rotation once again.