Four potential landing spots have emerged for Bronny James if the Los Angeles Lakers trade the third-year guard.
Fadeaway World has named the Brooklyn Nets, LA Clippers, Phoenix Suns and Charlotte Hornets as four teams that could benefit from a Bronny James trade. Fran Leiva based his assessment on factors such as the teams’ average ages, available draft assets and basketball fit. He prefaced his article by suggesting that Bronny isn’t expected to command a first-round pick, emphasizing that LeBron James’ son remains a raw project rather than a proven NBA rotation player.
“Now, if a rival GM lost their mind and offered a first-round pick, my answer flips instantly,” Leiva admitted.
“If someone offered two firsts, that would be completely wild, and the Lakers should accept before the other team could even finish the sentence,” he added.
Should Lakers Trade Bronny James?
The report then broke down why the Nets, Clippers, Suns and Hornets make sense, while floating hypothetical Lakers trade packages.
“The Nets feel like the cleanest fit on paper. Coming off a 20-62 campaign, Brooklyn’s entire focus is youth development,” wrote Leiva. “…Plus, Brooklyn is sitting on a ridiculous mountain of future draft picks, so parting with one of those for another 21-year-old guard wouldn’t even be a problem.”
Leiva made a similar case for the rebuilding Hornets, who moved LaMelo Ball to reshape the roster around new franchise star Kon Knueppel.
“…Bronny gives them a different dimension defensively,” he wrote the Hornets. “The Hornets have hoarded second-rounders over the past year and hold multiple picks in 2027 through 2033. They can easily afford a low-risk gamble on Bronny without messing up their primary core.”
As for the Clippers, Leiva cited the recent NBA punishment as an incentive to trade for Bronny. The Suns, he reckons, could allow Bronny to play a physical brand of ball.
“They’ve leaned heavily into grit and youth with guys like Dillon Brooks, Ryan Dunn, Rasheer Fleming, Koa Peat, Oso Ighodaro, and Khaman Maluach. Bronny’s full-court pressure fits that identity,” wrote Leiva.
Bronny James Trade Rumors
The potential trade packages:
From Nets:
Lakers would receive: 2029 second-round pickFrom Hornets:
Lakers would receive: 2028 second-round pick, 2031 second-round pickFrom Clippers:
Lakers would receive: Yuki Kawamura, Protected 2028 second-round pick (via Pistons)From Suns:
Lakers would receive: 2032 second-round pick
The Bronny James trade rumors began after Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney reported that several teams have taken notice of his development and may be willing to offer draft picks to acquire him.
“There’s definitely interest there,” an NBA executive said of several teams’ fascination with Bronny. “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 is widely expected to be a key part of JJ Redick’s rotation this season after averaging 8.1 minutes per game through his first two seasons.
Bronny James Gets Lakers Trade Update As 4 Potential Spots Emerge