A newly reported injury adds another factor to the evaluation of Bronny James’ difficult preseason.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported Wednesday that James sustained a quad contusion shortly before training camp and had been limited by it.
“James, for his part, has been limited by a quad contusion he suffered just before the start of training camp, sources told ESPN, and Redick added that the third-year guard has often shared the court with training camp invitees, rather than rotation players and noted how James finished last season as a playoff contributor,” wrote McMenamin.
The report adds context to the Los Angeles Lakers guard’s uneven exhibition performances as the team prepares to open its season against the Golden State Warriors.
The injury detail appeared in McMenamin’s examination of the questions facing the Lakers, including their options behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
James is off the injury report for Wednesday’s opener. The report about his quad should therefore be distinguished from a new injury designation or an announcement that he will miss the game.
The more immediate absence belongs to Collin Sexton. The Lakers have ruled him out with a right soleus strain, leaving JJ Redick without one of his primary ball handlers for the first game of the regular season.
The Lakers say Collin Sexton (right soleus strain) has been downgraded to out for tonight vs. Golden State.
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) October 21, 2026
JJ Redick had already offered context for Bronny James’ struggles
Redick’s assessment of James during the preseason included both criticism of his game performances and an explanation of the circumstances surrounding them.
After the Oct. 13 exhibition against Golden State, Redick said James had performed better in practice than he had in games.
“I don’t think he’s played well in the four preseason games, but he’s had good practices,” Redick said.
The coach also pointed to the lineups around James. Some of those minutes came alongside players trying to make the team, rather than the teammates expected to handle regular rotation assignments.
Redick took responsibility for helping the reserve guards function more effectively, rather than treating their struggles as solely an individual problem.
Those comments preceded Wednesday’s injury reporting. They provide background on how Redick was evaluating James, but they should not be read as the coach announcing the quad issue or attributing every poor possession to it.
For James, availability and a rotation role remain separate questions. Being available allows him to compete for minutes; it does not establish that Redick will use him against the Warriors.
Lakers’ reserve guards enter season with different concerns
The preseason figures cited in McMenamin’s report show why the discussion extends beyond James. Jaden Hardy and Chris Manon also finished with more turnovers than assists per game.
| Player | Assists per game | Turnovers per game | FG% | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronny James | 2.8 | 2.4 | 25.0% | 12.5% |
| Jaden Hardy | 1.2 | 2.6 | 41.0% | 30.4% |
| Chris Manon | 0.8 | 1.6 | 44.4% | 25.0% |
James had the strongest assist production of those three players, but the weakest shooting percentages. Hardy provided better shooting than James while committing more turnovers, and Manon’s assist average was half his turnover average.
That comparison illustrates different problems rather than identifying a clear winner. A player can help initiate possessions and still struggle to finish them, while a better shooting percentage does not necessarily establish that he can organize an offense under pressure.
The numbers also come from a short exhibition schedule with changing lineups. They describe what happened in preseason; they do not establish how any of the three will perform alongside the regular rotation.
Collin Sexton’s absence brings the depth question into focus
The Lakers had initially listed Sexton as questionable for the opener. His downgrade removes the possibility of having him available Wednesday to help carry the ball-handling workload.
Redick addressed that type of situation after the Oct. 13 game, explaining that asking Doncic and Reaves to handle all of those responsibilities against full-court pressure would place too much strain on them.
He said one of the reserve options would be needed when a primary handler was unavailable.
That makes the opening-night rotation worth watching without assuming James will automatically inherit Sexton’s minutes.
Redick must decide which combinations can advance the ball, get the Lakers into their offense and avoid giving possessions away.
Wednesday’s injury revelation offers a fuller account of James’ preparation for the season.
His next opportunity, whenever it comes, will give the Lakers a chance to evaluate how he fits into a lineup playing meaningful regular-season minutes.
