Until the Los Angeles Lakers trim their roster to get to 15 players, expect to continue hearing — or reading — about the potential future of Bronny James.
James, 21, is entering his third season and has a guaranteed contract for the 2026-27 season, but with the Lakers needing to both reduce the number of players on the roster and address some weaker areas, no one can comfortably say that James’ future in L.A. is secure. But if he’s not in a Lakers uniform on opening night, there is a much higher chance that he was traded than straight up waived.
Not only do the Lakers see value in the young guard, but rival teams apparently do, too.
Bronny James Valued By More Than Just the Lakers
James is no star. He hasn’t even (yet) proven that he could carve out a reasonably long and productive career. But he is in his early 20s and possesses the prototype of a young player who simply isn’t all that easy to find. And for that reason, if James finds himself on the move soon, the Lakers won’t treat him as some throwaway piece, and teams won’t call expecting to pick up the former second round pick for some jockstraps and a bag of Cheetos.
“Other teams have taken notice of James, too, though,” Heavy NBA insider Sean Deveney reported. “The Lakers will need to drop one player from the roster, and the presumption — rightly — is that it’s likely to be Dalton Knecht. But don’t rule out a Bronny James trade, not because the Lakers are seeking to dump him but because he could bring in draft assets–even a second rounder or two, which is what James would bring.”
Are teams itching to land James? Probably not. But as one executive who spoke to Deveney put it, James has some eyes on him.
“There’s definitely interest there,” the executive said, referring to teams’ intrigue of James. “He’s gotten much better in a short period. He knows his role, and it’s hard to find young guys who just want to excel in their role.”
James’ Likely Trade Path
If James gets traded, he would likely be a piece of a deal that brings back a potential impact star for the Lakers. If the Lakers made a trade only in an attempt to consolidate the roster, then players like Knecht and Jaden Hardy are much more likely to get moved.
As for some wondering if the Lakers would waive James, the chances that happens seem incredibly low. For one, if L.A. can’t find a deal, they would just waive Knecht and put a bow on the roster. James has not only shown more than Knecht over the two seasons both players have been in the league, but he is also younger and has a longer window of development.
In fact, Khobi Price of the California Post recently reported that Knecht is someone that “multiple rival executives expect to be the odd man out.” Price reported in the offseason that the Lakers value James and would seek a legitimate return if they were open to moving the 21-year-old guard.
At least for now, it looks like James will start the regular season in Los Angeles.
Bronny James Gets Major Lakers Trade News Before Final Roster Cut Deadline