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Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James brings the ball up court against the Washington Wizards at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, CA on Monday, March 30, 2026.
Head coach JJ Redick delivered a quote that may confirm Bronny James is not going to be in the Los Angeles Lakers’ playoff rotation. Recent injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves helped Bronny get into the Lakers rotation for the final few weeks of the season. Redick has played Bronny off the bench to share the court with his father LeBron James as part of the normal rotation.
However, Redick’s recent comment about the rotation excluded Bronny:
“I think just really simplify things. I think we ran four plays all game. It was just really simple. Anytime that we can feel a little messy, we just go to the post or we go to horns. I think the ball-handling component with getting Smart back, he will be able to play more on Sunday. Him, Luke, whoever that third guard is off the bench, and LeBron all have to share in that responsibility, and part of that responsibility is getting us organized.”
Redick was talking about the guards getting playing time moving forward and didn’t mention Bronny by name. Marcus Smart was mentioned as the guard expected to start if Doncic and Reaves don’t get cleared in time. Redick then said “whoever that third guard is” instead of naming Bronny to complicate his chances of playing time.
Can Bronny James Play In Postseason?
Most postseason rotations see coaches playing less players than the regular season due to the importance of these games. Superstars play closer to 40 minutes per game, and the bench usually sees four players at most getting playing time.
The Lakers will likely not play Bronny if they can get Reaves and Doncic back for the first round. However, their injuries are not expected to be cleared so quickly with just a week before Game 1 of the first round starting.
Smart and Luke Kennard are two role players who can play the guard position. LeBron’s facilitating allows him to take on a point guard role and avoid needing another guard. Bronny is unlikely to get playing time unless other players struggle and Redick looks to shake up the offense with an adjustment based on the games.
Does Bronny Deserve Playing Time?
The past nine games have seen Bronny entering the Lakers’ bench rotation with averages of 5.0 points, 1.0 assists, and 0.8 rebounds per game in 15 minutes per. Bronny has not done enough to prove he deserves a coveted playoff rotation spot over credible veteran options.
Redick’s comment confirms that Bronny is not on the list of names that he’s considering a lock to get playing time. The Lakers will likely have a smaller depth chart of names. Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Jake LaRavia all provide more upside than Bronny.
Bronny will likely get playing time if the Lakers have a blowout either way and opt to rest their starters for the next game. The only path towards a playoff rotation spot is for Bronny to perform well in his minutes and force Redick to give him more time. However, a seven-game series will mostly see Bronny on the bench for Los Angeles.
Joey Haverford Joey Haverford is a seasoned sports content writer with over 12 years of experience. He has covered the NBA, WNBA, MLB, NFL, and professional wrestling in the sports industry. More about Joey Haverford
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