Lakers Announce Bronny James Move After Warriors Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Gavin Groe | Last updated Feb 9, 2026 12:43 PM ET

In his second NBA season with the Los Angeles Lakers, Bronny James has struggled to find consistent playing time and has not cracked head coach JJ Redick’s rotation.

While James still has time to develop into a reliable contributor, the 21-year-old shooting guard has not seen his numbers rise this season, and his role has largely mirrored what he experienced as a rookie.

Through 27 appearances, including one start, James has averaged 1.9 points, 1.1 assists, 0.4 rebounds and 0.4 steals while shooting 38.8% from the field and 37.5% from beyond the arc. Although he has shown flashes of good play, his minutes typically come in blowouts or when the Lakers’ rotation is depleted.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9)© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

As a result, James has frequently bounced between the NBA and the G League, often being reassigned to the South Bay Lakers.

In the G League, he has taken on a larger role, but the results have been disappointing in a small sample. Through six games, he has averaged 9.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists while shooting 35.6% from the floor and 21.2% from 3-point range.

If he hopes to eventually carve out a meaningful role in the NBA, he will need to take a step forward in both efficiency and consistency.

On Monday, two days after the Lakers defeated the Golden State Warriors, the team announced that James had been moved back down to South Bay.

The Los Angeles Lakers have assigned guard Bronny James Jr. to the South Bay Lakers.
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) February 9, 2026

James was selected 55th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, a pick the Lakers made with the understanding that his development would take time.

Returning to the G League gives him another opportunity to refine his game, build confidence and work through the growing pains that come with being a young guard in a crowded backcourt.

For the Lakers, the hope is that these stretches in South Bay eventually translate into a more polished, assertive version of James when he returns to the NBA level.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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