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Bronny James during a Lakers playoff game as his role could shift with Austin Reaves nearing a return.

The Los Angeles Lakers could soon get a key piece back — and according to a team insider, that return may come at a cost for Bronny James.

As Austin Reaves inches closer to a comeback from a Grade 2 left oblique strain, Lakers beat reporter Jovan Buha outlined how the team’s rotation is likely to shift — with Bronny among the most impacted.

Austin Reaves Return Will Reshape Lakers’ rotation

Speaking on his Buha’s Block podcast, Buha explained that Reaves’ return will immediately affect the Lakers’ guard rotation, particularly for younger players currently filling minutes.

“I do think the Lakers are in a tough spot right now,” Buha said. “Austin coming back will probably take the Bronny minutes, then reduce some of the bench minutes and even cut into a bit of the starters’ workload.”

Reaves, who averaged a career-best 23.3 points during the regular season, is expected to return on a minutes restriction — likely in the 18-to-24-minute range — which still represents a significant shift in how the Lakers distribute playing time.

Bronny James Role Grew During Injury Stretch

Bronny’s recent opportunity has been tied directly to injuries across the roster — particularly to Luka Dončić and Reaves.

In Game 3, Bronny and LeBron James made history as the first father-son duo to connect on a playoff basket, with LeBron throwing a lob to Bronny for a reverse layup in the second quarter.

“I’m not sure when was the last time I got an oop from him,” Bronny said. “He saw me and saw that I was making eye contact with him, so he threw it up and I can always go get it.”

Bronny also knocked down a 3-pointer off a LeBron screen earlier in the game, part of a hot start for Los Angeles as the team opened by making its first seven shots.

The 21-year-old finished with five points on 2-of-2 shooting in nine minutes and posted a +4 plus-minus. He had also been efficient in limited minutes earlier in the series, despite not scoring in Games 1 and 2.

Bronny James Expected to Lose Minutes First

Despite those flashes, Buha believes Bronny’s role will be the first to shrink once Reaves returns.

“It’ll be Bronny first and foremost,” Buha said.

With Reaves expected to anchor the second unit upon his return, the overlap in roles makes Bronny the most likely candidate to lose minutes.

JJ Redick’s Rotation Decisions Offer Clarity

Buha also pointed to head coach JJ Redick’s rotation trends as a clear indicator of how the Lakers view their depth.

“It’s not going to be Dalton [Knecht]. It’s not going to be Adou [Thiero],” Buha said. “He’s had plenty of opportunities to put them in a rotation role and just hasn’t done it.”

That leaves players like Jake LaRavia as the next in line to see reduced minutes.

“I think Jake is going to continue to play, but he’s the obvious guy whose minutes start to get phased down once Austin is back,” Buha added.

LaRavia will likely take Bronny’s minutes off the bench, according to Buha, once Reaves returns.

Lakers Managing Workload Ahead of Reaves Return

The Lakers have leaned heavily on their starters amid injuries, with LeBron logging heavy minutes while continuing to produce at a high level. He finished Game 3 with 29 points, 13 rebounds and six assists.

Buha noted that Reaves’ return could help redistribute those minutes.

“If Luke [Kennard] plays closer to 40 minutes instead of 45, maybe he has better legs late,” Buha said. “Austin coming back helps balance the bench and also takes pressure off the starters.”

Austin Reaves Trending Toward Return

Reaves was listed as questionable for the first time since his injury before being ruled out after warmups in Game 3.

According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Reaves was scheduled to get shots up at the arena ahead of Game 4, with an official status update expected later in the day.

For the Lakers, his return could stabilize the rotation.

For Bronny, it could signal a reduced role as the team gets closer to full strength.