Bronny

James

Smart is one of four key contributors ruled out for Tuesday’s game, the second in as many nights for the Lakers. Fantasy managers should expect to see Luke Kennard, Dalton Knecht and Bronny James play significant minutes, as Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić are also out.

James will return following a one-game absence, but his availability has no impact in the realm of fantasy hoops.

James missed Sunday’s game against New York, but his status for this game won’t alter the Lakers’ rotation.

James will not be available for Sunday’s game after initially being listed as questionable. His absence won’t affect fantasy basketball, and there may have been even fewer minutes available to the second-year guard due to Austin Reaves’ potential return from a strained calf.

James’ availability does not affect fantasy basketball, as he is on the back end of the Lakers’ rotation on most nights, if he plays at all. And with Austin Reaves (calf) potentially returning, the chances of Bronny playing decrease even more.

With Rui Hachimura (calf) and Marcus Smart (illness) both sidelined against Milwaukee, James and LaRavia will enter the starting unit. This will be the first start of the season for Bronny, while LaRavia has been in and out of the opening lineup all season. LaRavia should be the better streaming option for fantasy managers.

Reaves played 38 minutes in Sunday’s win over the Heat, and he joins Luka Dončić on the sideline for Monday’s game in Portland. Due to the absences, Dalton Knecht and Bronny James will likely see their playing time increase, but neither is worth the streaming risk in most leagues. Jake LaRavia, however, is, especially after he played 35 minutes on Sunday.

Dončić will miss the second leg of the Lakers’ back-to-back, which opens up plenty of opportunity for the rest of the team, especially with Austin Reaves (groin) out as well. Marcus Smart and Bronny James should occupy the ball-handling responsibility, though everyone that is available will get the opportunity to step up.

James put forth his best performance of the NBA 2K26 Summer League on Monday, leading the Lakers in scoring and offering solid value in the rebound and assist categories. Looking forward to the regular season, the second-year guard is not in a great position to provide tangible fantasy value. The Lakers remain in win-now mode, likely limiting Bronny’s opportunities to contribute. His ability to crack the rotation will likely hinge on what James can provide as a defender and perimeter shooter.

Since arriving in Las Vegas, James’ playing time has increased compared to his minutes during the Lakers’ games at the California Classic. He was solid against the Pelicans, providing value on both ends of the floor. While the chances of him impacting fantasy basketball next season are slim, Bronny’s best path to playing time may be showing that he can be a factor defensively. James recorded two steals and a block after failing to record a steal or blocked shot in Thursday’s loss to the Mavericks. Stats don’t tell the whole story defensively, but being more active in that area will only boost Bronny’s prospects.