Last year, rookie Bronny James played just four minutes in the playoffs, and this year, things will change. The sophomore year began with little trust from the head coach once again, as the 21-year-old was assigned to G-League duties. But it seems juggling between the Los Angeles Lakers and South Bay proved crucial as JJ Redick heaped huge praise on LeBron James’ son ahead of the playoff matchup against the Kevin Durant-led Houston Rockets.

“We’re gonna have to have all hands on deck for the series,” said JJ Redick on Wednesday. “That’s just reality when you’re shorthanded. He’ll have to be ready. I think Bronny’s improved a lot, and I think we trust him. The shooting piece, I’m a believer in because of how well he’s shot it the last two years in the G-League. He’s improved a ton defensively, in terms of his body positioning both on and off the ball. We want him to continue to evolve as a disruptor and defender as well.”

The head coach also acknowledged Bronny James’ recent strongest games of the season. In 18 minutes off the bench against the Utah Jazz, he put up 11 points, one rebound, four assists, and one steal while shooting 57.1% from the field and going three-for-four from deep, part of a hot streak that has seen him hit six of his last 10 three-pointers. His defensive efforts have also caught the coaching staff’s attention.

This season, James Jr. has a defensive rating of 114.2, which is not far away from the best defender on the team, Marcus Smart’s 110.6. Clearly, JJ Redick has seen this and is ready to take on more responsibilities.

After all, the Lakers remain without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves for the all-important stretch. In the final six games of the regular season, Bronny James averaged 7.2 points and 1.8 assists while shooting 47.2% from the field and 42.9% from three in 16.8 minutes per game. The minutes were consistent, and the 21-year-old responded with efficient production.

The leap from his rookie season, when he produced just 2.3 points in 6.7 minutes per game on a poor 38.1 eFG%, to his sophomore campaign, where his efficiency has climbed to 50% eFG% thanks to 38% shooting from deep, shows why Redick can now rely on him.

JJ Redick already praised Bronny James for being in a tough situation

This recent stretch of playing time marks a significant turnaround, as he had previously gone seven straight games without seeing the floor and hadn’t scored since March 1 until the March 25 matchup against the Pacers.

It seemed the trust from JJ Redick was low, as evidenced by the fact that James Jr.’s last time playing more than 10 minutes was back on February 10 against the San Antonio Spurs. He even guarded Victor Wembanyama for a few possessions, even had a viral stop. After the game, Bronny even stated he was ready for such difficult matchups.

So when the non-playing streak broke against the Pacers, JJ Redick clarified about the expectations for Bronny James.

“Our staff has a lot of confidence in him. Felt like this was a game we really needed him. It was a game that, you know, his athleticism, his defense, you know, he had two really, really good defensive possessions, individual defense in the first half. I think the biggest thing with him is he’s got a lot of confidence right now.”

Since that game, the head coach has continued to provide minutes to the 21-year-old. He did produce some turnovers, which even LeBron James didn’t approve of. But that’s expected, as Bronny James evolved from non-playing star to a regular contributor.