With LeBron James no longer a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, many wonder what the future holds for his 21-year-old son, Bronny James, who remains on the Lakers’ roster.
Seeing as though the masses believe that without LeBron’s influence on the Lakers, Bronny wouldn’t have ended up in his favorable situation with the Lakers, believing that the young wing’s days on the Lakers may be numbered isn’t that far-fetched.
However, the former NBA veteran Matt Barnes actually sees LeBron James’ move to the Philadelphia 76ers as favorable.
Former NBA Veteran Gets Honest On Bronny James’ Future
“I think it’s great now that obviously Bron is gone and Bronny is kinda on his own. I think that’s something that he was kinda looking forward to, to kinda just say, ‘hey, I can do this without my dad,’” Barnes recently told TMZ Sports.
In Barnes’ eyes, Bronny is deserving of the spot he has on the Lakers’ roster.
“Bronny has a lot of talent, and I just thought if he would’ve stayed just one more year, he could’ve done it on his own,” the former player added.
Heading into his third season with the Lakers, Bronny’s contract wasn’t guaranteed. Typically, that makes a player an obvious cut candidate. The Lakers decided to fully guarantee his $2.2 million, which offered a vote of confidence in the young guard.
Still, his future is unclear. James could get traded before the February 2027 deadline. And if he does finish the season with the Lakers, the team has a $2.4 million option for the 2027-2028 season that they have to decide on before June 30.
Bronny James’ NBA Career Right Now
Coming out of USC, the narrative surrounding James was that he wasn’t ready for the NBA.
As a freshman with the Trojans, Bronny started just six out of 25 games, seeing the court for 19.3 minutes per game. Bronny averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists.
The Lakers spent their second-round pick (No. 55) to acquire Bronny. As a rookie, Bronny James appeared in 27 games, seeing the court for 6.7 minutes per game. He shot 31.3% from the field to average 2.3 points per game.
Last year, Bronny played in 42 games, averaging 8.9 minutes of action. He drained 40.9% from the field and hit 38.6% from three to produce 2.9 points per game.
The 2026-2027 NBA season will be the first time in Bronny James’ pro career he’ll play without LeBron. Barnes is confident it will be a positive situation.