It was bound to get spicy the moment Bronny James stepped onto an NBA court. Not just because of the name stitched on the back of his jersey, but because every second he plays, the basketball world leans in a little closer. Every dribble, every miss, every defensive slide- they all carry the weight of legacy. And now, with Summer League eyes glued to him, the chatter around Bronny’s next move has hit a fever pitch.
But it’s not just fans debating his future. Some of LeBron James’ closest allies are drawing very different battle lines. See, when you’re Bronny, you’re not just a rookie guard fighting for minutes. You’re a headline, a hot take magnet, and most recently, the centerpiece of a heated back-and-forth between LeBron’s ex-teammates Channing Frye and Richard Jefferson.
During a recent episode of Road Trippin’, things got real. Frye didn’t hold back. He flat-out said, “Just from one game I saw, I don’t think so [he plays 40+ NBA games]. I think he’s going to play more in South Bay… I don’t want to put him in a game where it’s like ‘oh go guard Steph real quick’… Hell no we’re trying to win!” That “Hell no” hit like a brick. And Jefferson? He saw it differently.
Jefferson acknowledged Bronny needed G League reps for confidence, but he didn’t think that meant Bronny should be chained to it. “When he comes up… I think he’s ready for the opportunity to be on the roster to see if he’s ready,” he countered. It wasn’t just a casual take. Jefferson leaned in on Bronny’s defensive potential, hyping his toughness and instincts. “He could be a young Kaysen Wallace. I think he could be a Lu Dort.” Big names, and even bigger expectations. And all of this? Just a taste of how differently two respected vets see Bronny’s rookie year playing out.
The numbers don’t sugarcoat the climb ahead. Bronny averaged just 2.3 points on 31.3 percent shooting in his rookie season. He also chipped in 0.7 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. It’s not flashy, but the defense? That’s where his name keeps coming up in serious NBA rooms. Jefferson pointed to one sequence where Bronny battled Cooper Flagg in the post and held his own, describing him as “eating all of those post-ups” and noting how he’s already thinking the game defensively. Frye backed that, too, saying, “Defensively he looks so much more locked in mentally… situationally he’s already anticipating things.” The issue isn’t the defense. It’s how the Lakers plan to nurture that while hiding the growing pains.
And that’s where the friction really lives. Do you let Bronny sharpen his tools away from the spotlight, or do you throw him into the fire and let his defense carry him through? Frye wants the slow burn, the safe route. Jefferson’s banking on defense being the fastest ticket to real minutes. Either way, both agree Bronny’s path doesn’t lie in being a scorer. It’s about turning into a menace on that end, a player who gets on the floor because he hounds ball handlers 94 feet and makes stars uncomfortable. Which, conveniently, brings us to the guy whose name keeps popping up every time Bronny’s defense is mentioned.
The Dort debate: can Bronny James become the next defensive star?
It’s no accident that Lu Dort keeps showing up in these conversations. Dort, the defensive monster who helped lead OKC to a championship in 2025, is now the blueprint. He wasn’t a lottery pick. He wasn’t an offensive savant. But his defense was undeniable. And Bronny? He’s got a chance to build something eerily similar. Jefferson didn’t hesitate. “It’s some variation of the Lu Dort… some variation of Avery Bradley… Casey Wallace,” he said. The idea is clear. Bronny might not light up the scoreboard, but he could absolutely clamp it down.
But this comparison does more than validate Bronny. It gives him a map. Dort earned All-Defensive First Team honors this past season. His efforts in the Finals, especially his shutdown job on Tyrese Haliburton, showed what a game-changing defender looks like. His stats? Solid, not stunning. Just 10.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists on 43.5 percent shooting. But his presence? That was off the charts. If Bronny can channel even 80 percent of that, the Lakers have something.
Mar 19, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) inbound the ball in the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
And then there’s the role models beyond Dort. Cason Wallace is another name Jefferson mentioned. Still early in his career, Wallace already cracked the All-Defensive roster. His 107.6 defensive rating last season wasn’t just good.. it was elite. That’s the category Bronny’s aiming for. Not just surviving NBA rotations, but becoming the guy opposing guards dread seeing pick them up full court. And that dread? That’s earned. Not given.
So sure, the offensive work needs to come. He’s struggled from deep, hitting just 28.1 percent from three. But then he dropped 17 points against the Clippers on 60 percent shooting with 3-of-5 from long range. That flash is why Jefferson sees something real here. And if the defense continues to evolve the way it has, Bronny James might just force the Lakers to lean into the fire instead of playing it safe. Like his dad always says, pressure makes diamonds.
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