Training camp for the 2025-26 NBA season is approaching, and while the Los Angeles Lakers may not have a legitimate championship-caliber roster, they do appear to have one that can do some real damage.

They have a number of players who seem to have upward potential, and if those players improve and fulfill their potential this season, perhaps the team can pleasantly surprise quite a few national pundits.

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LeBron Wire is taking a look at the 14 players who are under standard contracts with the Lakers and giving three goals for each player. We now look at Bronny James, the son of LeBron James who continues to be under a microscope as the world waits to see if he will end up making it as an NBA rotation player.

Here are three things he needs to do to get to where he would like to be.

Improve on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers

If the younger James ever does make it in the big leagues, he will not have the basketball in his hands a lot. That means he will have to excel off the ball, which means he will have to hit open 3-pointers off passes from his teammates.

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During this past G League regular season, he made 38% of his 3-point attempts, which demonstrates some ability to hit from long distance. But in his lone year at the University of Southern California, he made 26.7% of his 3-point attempts and only 19.6% of his catch-and-shoot attempts from that distance.

Attack off the dribble and score

If the younger James eventually becomes a decent bench player in the NBA, that may be enough for some. But if he wants to go beyond that level of play, he will have to be able to get and make his own shot off the dribble, especially in the paint.

He has shown the ability to hit treys off the dribble. How well can he penetrate into the paint and finish, especially against NBA defenses? That could single-handedly determine how far he could go in the pros.

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Refine his defense

Right now, many believe the strongest part of the younger James’ game is his defense. He has shown solid defense instincts, including, most importantly, the ability to stay in front of his man and defend opposing ball-handling guards.

It is a good thing, as the Lakers badly need a reliable point-of-attack defender who will also contribute offensively. But the 20-year-old isn’t ready right now. In one memorable NBA game at midseason versus the Philadelphia 76ers, he inexplicably got 15 minutes of playing time and repeatedly got burned by star guard Tyrese Maxey, who erupted for 43 points.

The younger James seems to have the physical tools to become a fantastic defender. He stands 6-foot-3 and has a 6-foot-7.5 wingspan, as well as a vertical leap of 40.5 inches. He said before the start of summer league play in July that he’s focusing on defense and that he feels he needs to become a “defensive menace” in order to get playing time.

This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers 3 goals: Will Bronny James crack the Lakers’ core rotation?