Bronny James has barely had a chance to make an impression during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2026-27 campaign. Despite making the opening-night roster, the 22-year-old has spent most of his time watching from the sidelines. He was recently sent for another G League assignment. While Gilbert Arenas did not directly mention JJ Redick, his comments seemingly questioned the way James Jr.’s development is handled.
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“Back and look at that draft. We have a French guy (Risacher), probably the worst number one pick ever,” he said on the We Said What We Said Show. “And then you look at the top 10. There’s guys in the first round that’s not even in the league anymore. It’s crazy. But they go at the guy, literally goes in a G League. He (Bronny James) shows he can play basketball; he’s just not put in a position in the NBA yet. He’s coming in last two minutes, and everybody’s like “shoot.” This n—- setting the bench the whole time.
“He get a shot up. He missed that. All right, two days later. He finally get again. One minute, right? He come in. He picking up full court. They still got their starters in 9-0 league. He looks bad. Like it’s just not; it’s just not like that’s not how you can play the game. If you came in, you got 30 minutes a game. He will show he’s better than what the stats look.”
His argument comes at a time when Bronny James’ role in Los Angeles has become increasingly difficult to understand. The Lakers retained him over former first-round pick Dalton Knecht during the offseason, but that decision has not translated into meaningful playing time.
After playing 6:46 against the Golden State Warriors on October 21, he did not see the floor in the next four games. He finally returned against Golden State on October 30 but played just 1:21. His next three appearances were similarly brief. He received 1:44 against Toronto, 1:22 against Miami, and 1:10 against Sacramento. Across five appearances, he accumulated just 12 minutes and averaged 0.8 points per game.
The situation became even more difficult after the Lakers assigned him to their G League affiliate, the Coachella Valley Lakers, on November 5. He subsequently missed the November 6 game against Portland and received another DNP against Detroit two days later. Redick explained that the decision was about giving Bronny James and rookie Cameron Carr more playing opportunities.
“The messaging was very simple,” the Lakers head coach said. “It’s just: you guys need reps and you guys need to play.”
There is a reason Gilbert Arenas wants people to look beyond James Jr.’s NBA numbers. His performances in the G League have been considerably more encouraging. Across his first two seasons in the developmental league, Bronny James averaged 18.4 points and 4.4 assists per game over 25 appearances. He also shot 49.6% from the field and 41.3% from three-point range.
His latest outing offered another reminder of what regular playing time can do for him. In Coachella Valley’s season opener against the Salt Lake City Stars on November 6, Bronny James finished with 22 points, seven assists, and five rebounds. The Lakers’ affiliate secured a 104-98 victory, giving him a much-needed opportunity to take control of the game.
His performance also earned him a recall to the NBA roster ahead of Los Angeles’ four-game road trip. However, that does not necessarily guarantee a regular place in Redick’s rotation. Arenas had also questioned the attention surrounding Bronny James last month, arguing that critics focused more on the 55th pick than the players selected ahead of him.
“You didn’t want to mention him when he got drafted, when the number one pick was on the line. Y’all went straight to the 55th. Mr. 55th. Y’all went all the way down there for a n—- who doesn’t make the team and wasn’t going to play much. You killed him, and a whole number one pick was just chilling and relaxing,” he said.
For now, Bronny James’ immediate challenge is turning his G League production into a consistent NBA opportunity. His latest performance showed what he can do with the ball in his hands. Whether Redick gives him a longer look remains another question.