Lakers: Bronny James Injury Update for Season Opener
Second-year Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James could miss the team’s season-opener against the Golden State Warriors with an ankle sprain.
On Sunday, Bronny was only a “modified participant” in practice, per
JJ Redick says two-way guard Chris Mañon was a full participant in today's practice.
Bronny James (ankle) and Adou Thiero (knee) were modified participants.
— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) October 19, 2025
Last season, Bronny and LeBron James made history during the Lakers’ season opener, becoming the first father-son duo to take the court as teammates in the NBA. While LeBron (sciatica) won’t be returning to action until mid-November, Bronny could also miss time depending on the severity of his persisting ankle issue.
Bronny James Enters Second Year
Bronny James enters his sohpmore season with high expectations, after a terrific rookie campaign in the G League for the South Bay Lakers.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick is happy with the progress made by his young guard.
“He is so much more comfortable and confident as a player,” Redick said of Bronny on October 4, via The Associated Press.
“Skill-wise, read-wise, all of those things have improved, but there’s a big difference between improving those things in individual workouts and small group settings and doing it 5-on-5.
“… He’s a totally different player than he was a year ago. I thought the stuff that he did down in the G League last year was huge for him in developing a comfort level in playing at this level.”
Lakers Predicted to Win 36 Games
The Lakers had a productive offseason, adding Marcus Smart, Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia to a team that finished with the second seed last year. Yet, JJ Redick’s team is predicted to win only 36 games, according to a simulation by
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps believes the Lakers have many roster holes, from weak interior and perimeter defense to outside shooting, and won’t be able to compete with powerhouses such as
“The Lakers — fairly — believe a team led by Doncic and James can contend with anyone,” Bontemps wrote on Oct. 13.
“However, that requires both players to be healthy. And with James already dealing with a sciatica problem that threatens the start of his season for the first time in his remarkable career — plus his status as the league’s oldest player, who is approaching his 41st birthday — health is going to be a constant question. And that’s before the potential shooting issues, as well as the perimeter and interior defensive concerns for this team.”
Eagles RB Saquon Barkley Called Out for ‘Shocking Regression’
There isn’t any possible way to put a spin on how much Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley has backslid in his follow up to winning NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2024, when he became just the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in the regular season.
Every game is further evidence things ain’t what they used. The latest example came in a 28-22 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 7 in which Barkley, the highest paid running back in NFL history, had 18 carries for 44 yards.
“It’s a shocking regression,” Fox Sports color commentator and former NFL tight end Greg Olsen said during the broadcast. “It’s just continued today.”
Not only is Barkley not on track to become the first player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in consecutive seasons, he’s not even on track to rush for 1,000 yards this season for the defending Super Bowl champions.
Through 7 games, Barkley has 113 carries for 369 yards and 3 touchdowns. This puts him on track to rush for approximately 896 yards if he plays in all 17 games.
In 2024, Barkley had 766 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns through the first 7 games, including 4 100-yard games. In 2024, he was able to rush for over 2,000 yards while sitting out a meaningless regular season finale against the New York Giants.
Barkley Only Cares About Eagles Winning
Whatever the talking heads might say about Barkley’s stats, the message from the player himself throughout the season has been focused solely on one thing: Winning.
“People get caught up in how winning looks … it’s winning,” Barkley said after the win over the Vikings. “It’s our team beating their team. Whatever it looks like, that’s all that matters. To win the football game. That’s what matters.”
The Eagles can count themselves lucky they have such an incredible team player as the face of their offense. Others on that side of the ball haven’t been that understanding when things don’t go their way even when the Eagles are winning.
In 2024, star wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith made a federal case about not getting the ball enough — and did so during a 10-game winning streak.
Brown did the same thing this year as the Eagles reeled off 4 consecutive wins to open the season.
Barkley Adjusting to Life With New OC
Part of Barkley’s struggles can be chalked up to an offensive line that has struggled with injuries. Part of the struggles can also be tied to first year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, who has struggled mightily since last year’s OC, Kellen Moore, left to become the head coach of the New Orleans Saints.
Whatever the problem is, it’s obvious the play calling and blocking isn’t what it was last season. And those factions need to be held accountable. Getting Barkley the ball in his hands at the right times and with the right calls and the right blocking scheme is critical to his success.
That hasn’t happened so far. Until then, the Eagles should count themselves lucky he hasn’t gone Full Diva like his teammates.
“Saquon Barkley still hasn’t reached 100 total yards in a game this season,” Fantasy Football podcast host JJ Zachariason wrote on his official X account on October 20. “He did it in all but three games last regular season. He averaged 143 total yards per game last year. He’s at 72 this year.”
