JJ Redick Delivers Brutal Verdict on Bronny James:”Don’t Think He’s Played Well”

JJ Redick has praised Bronny James in public settings before, and that history makes his latest assessment land differently. Earlier this preseason, Redick credited James' development specifically in the G League, saying Lakers coach Zach Guthrie's staff had "done a wonderful job" with him and calling his playmaking growth "the biggest area of improvement."

That positive comment came through a stretch where James briefly led the entire NBA in preseason assists, ahead of even Nikola Jokic. Four preseason games later, Redick's tone shifted to something far more blunt.

After a 101-89 loss to the Warriors in which James finished scoreless in 11 minutes, missing both shot attempts while committing four turnovers, Redick didn't mince words in his evaluation.

"I thought he had a really nice September and a good summer with us," Redick said. "I don't think he's played well in the four preseason games, but he's had good practices." The distinction, strong in practice, struggling in games, has become the story of James' third NBA season so far.

Redick pointed to circumstances behind the drop-off rather than placing the blame entirely on James. "I mean, again, some of it's just rhythm, some of it's who he's playing with, right? He's played a lot of minutes, especially in the second half of games with our two-way guys," Redick said. "And tonight he played with Rafael Castro, who's been with us for three days. So some of it is like the group he's with; I think that is not necessarily setting him up for success."

Through four games, Bronny James is averaging 2.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting just 26.7% from the field and 14.3% from three, with 3.0 turnovers a night.

Why the Timing Makes Redick's Honesty Carry More Weight

The context around this preseason matters. James enters the year as part of a crowded backcourt rotation battling for minutes behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, with reports suggesting he's also drawn trade interest from rival teams who've noticed his development, even as the Lakers face a roster crunch that could cost Dalton Knecht his spot instead.

A scoreless, turnover-heavy outing against Golden State landed at an inconvenient moment, just as the front office finalizes decisions before opening night.

Redick's willingness to be candid, rather than offering a diplomatic non-answer, reflects a coach trying to separate what James controls from what he doesn't. The lineups James has been surrounded with, largely two-way players and recent camp additions, aren't the same groups a rotation regular would play with.

Whether that explanation holds up once the games start counting is the real test still ahead. The preseason finale against Jokic and the Nuggets offers James one more chance to flip the narrative before roster cuts become final.