NBA Rumors: The Lakers' Plan with Bronny James

The Los Angeles Lakers had the chance to trade Bronny James after his father, LeBron James, decided to head to the Philadelphia 76ers, but the franchise chose not to. Although the future of the young guard is still not fully defined, Los Angeles has already secured his contract with no indications of planning to part ways with him, despite his name surfacing in rumors of a potential trade for Jonathan Kuminga.

The Lakers Bet on Bronny's Continuity

Bronny James will earn only 2.2 million dollars during the upcoming season, and although he has not yet secured a stable spot in the Lakers' rotation during his first two years in the NBA, all signs point to him staying in Los Angeles. If the franchise had wanted to trade the 21-year-old player, they would have likely done so by now.

The Lakers remain linked to Kuminga, but other names have emerged more strongly as potential outgoing pieces. Currently, the team has 16 players with guaranteed contracts, one above the NBA limit of 15 for the start of the season, and needs to trim its roster.

However, reports suggest that Los Angeles would be more interested in parting ways with Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht, or Jaden Hardy rather than including Bronny in a trade.

“Bronny will only earn 2.2 million dollars this season. The Lakers currently have 16 players with guaranteed contracts and will need to reduce their roster to 15 before the start of the regular season. There is no news of Bronny being on the list of expendable players. Los Angeles is looking to move Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht, or Jaden Hardy,” wrote Tyler Watts for LakeShowLife.

Furthermore, the Lakers have made numerous changes to their roster this summer. If they truly believed James couldn't help the team win, they would have had the opportunity to find him another destination, whether it be Philadelphia or any other franchise.

“After LeBron's departure, Los Angeles had the chance to trade his son to Philadelphia—or any other team—but it never happened. Fans know that King James enjoyed playing with Bronny, but the Lakers clearly value the 21-year-old guard,” added Watts. According to his interpretation, the franchise's decisions indicate that Los Angeles wants to continue developing the young player as he continues to progress.

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Better Numbers in His Second Season

Bronny James played 41 games with the Lakers last season and averaged 2.9 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists, shooting 40.9% from the field. His stats represented an improvement over his first season in the NBA.

He now enters the final guaranteed year of his rookie contract, with a team option for the 2027-28 season.

Kuminga Leaves the Possibility of a Trade Open

Despite all these signs, Bronny James' future with the Lakers is not entirely assured. The young guard is not among the main names highlighted in rumors about Jonathan Kuminga, but he could become one of the most likely pieces to be moved if Los Angeles manages to strike a deal for the Golden State Warriors player.

The lack of tradable assets for the Lakers is one of the main reasons Bronny's name has come up in this scenario. According to Watts, the franchise would have no issue offering Vanderbilt, Knecht, or Hardy, but no team seems willing to accept those proposals.

“The Lakers need a starting power forward before training camp, and trading Bronny James might be the only way to achieve that. The franchise has few trade assets. Bronny should hold value and could be the piece that makes the deal work,” he wrote.

Therefore, Bronny's future in Los Angeles is still not entirely decided, especially as the chances increase that the Lakers will try to acquire Kuminga. However, if the deal for the Golden State player falls through, the 21-year-old guard could continue to be a part of the roster.

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