What does Lakers’ Bronny James need to improve on to get NBA minutes?

Many eyes are on Los Angeles Lakers rookie guard Bronny James in the NBA Summer League.

Thus far, James has been underwhelming in the summer circuit. He’s averaging 3.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game, while shooting 25% from the field in the two games he has appeared in (he missed one game due to a knee injury).

Skip Bayless shared why the Summer League environment won’t bring out the best in James on Thursday’s “Undisputed.”

“Bronny’s game doesn’t work in Summer League,” Bayless said. “He’s strictly a complementary cog who can blend in with the big dogs. He knows how to play. He won’t get in the way. He will facilitate. And I still say, if he’s playing with the big dogs at [Crypto.com Arena], and you give him a wide-open three, he’ll make that three.

“He looks out of place and out of sync in this because it’s all solo madness. It looks like the McDonald’s All-Star Game when everybody’s just trying to go solo and show out.”

Paul Pierce further explained what he thinks James has to improve on.

“When I watch Bronny, he obviously displayed some great intensity, I think, on the defensive end,” Pierce said. “Obviously, he needs to have more confidence in his offense. I don’t think he was aggressive enough. I don’t think he looked to take his shots, but he has to still kind of wonder what his niche is going to be in this league, and, to me, I think he can be that 3-and-D guy, but, he has to show me a little more aggressiveness. … If he wants to establish his niche and wants to be a guy that gets minutes in an NBA game, he has to show confidence in his offense, and he’s got to knock down shots.

“Being a defensive guy is all good and all, but the NBA is a make-or-miss league, you’re going to hear this all the time. And if you can’t make shots, it’s going to be tough for you to play, especially at the guard slot.”

The Lakers selected 19-year-old James, the son of superstar LeBron James, with the No. 55 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft out of USC.

Bronny James, a four-star recruit, only appeared in 25 games in his freshman season after suffering cardiac arrest last summer. Playing 19.3 minutes per contest, he averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.

Elsewhere this offseason, the Lakers selected Tennessee forward and 2023-24 SEC Player of the Year Dalton Knecht with the No. 17 overall pick. Point guard D’Angelo Russell exercised his $18.7 million player option for the 2024-25 season, while the Lakers re-signed Max Christie on a four-year, $32 million deal. They also have a new and first-time NBA head coach in former 15-year player JJ Redick.

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