Did JJ Redick tease a significant role for Bronny James?

[ASFN Admin]

As long as Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are unable to play due to injury, the Los Angeles Lakers will need increased contributions from players up and down their roster. That could include a couple of men who normally only play during garbage time.

Over the weekend, the Lakers converted guard Nick Smith Jr.'s two-way contract into a standard deal, which makes him eligible to play during the playoffs. In addition, Bronny James has turned in a couple of solid games ever since the injuries to Doncic and Reaves.

On Wednesday, coach JJ Redick told reporters that James "has improved a lot" and went into specifics. It almost makes it sound as if he will be counting on the guard to play some meaningful minutes during L.A.'s upcoming playoff series versus the Houston Rockets.

“We’re gonna have to have all hands on deck for the series,” Redick said. “He’s got to be ready. Nick [Smith Jr.] will have to be ready. I think Bronny’s improved a lot. I think we trust him. The shooting piece, I’m a believer in, because of how well he shot it in the last two years in the G League.

“I know there was a stretch recently where he didn’t shoot it well and of course, he had a nice shooting game against Utah. He’s improved a ton defensively in terms of his body positioning, both on and off ball. We want him to continue to evolve as a disruptive defender as well.”

James' season stats in the NBA this year were minuscule, but he has gotten significant playing time in April, and he reached double figures in scoring in three of the Lakers' last six games. He did make 38.6% of his 3-point attempts in the NBA during the regular season, and during the G League regular season, he averaged 15.6 points a game and shot 56% overall and 45.6% from downtown.

The series versus Houston could be an opportunity for the 21-year-old to prove that he has, indeed, improved considerably and that he's on his way to being deserving of a regular rotation spot in the NBA.

This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Did JJ Redick tease a significant role for Bronny James?

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