After a challenging NBA preseason, there had been some speculation that the Los Angeles Lakers could cut Bronny James. The Lakers had until Monday, October 19, to finalize their roster and needed to make at least one cut.
With LeBron James bolting the Lakers for the Philadelphia 76ers, there has been plenty of NBA rumors that James’ spot with Los Angeles was less than solid.
The Lakers announced their final roster heading into the NBA regular season, and James once again made the team.
Los Angeles opted to release guard Dalton Knecht but kept James as the the team finalized their roster. Time will tell just how much James will play this season, but his job appears safe for now.
Lakers Guard Bronny James Is on a 4-Year, $7.8 Million Contract
James was trending towards being on the Lakers roster given the guard’s contract was already fully guaranteed. The guard’s four-year, $7.8 million contract is slated to go through the 2027-28 NBA season.
Los Angeles has a team option on James’ deal for the 2027-28 season. Rumors about James’ future intensified after the guard was absent from the Lakers practice hours before the cut deadline.
“JJ Redick said Dalton Knecht and Bronny James were both under the weather and had excused absences from practice today,” Lakers insider Jovan Buha noted in an October 19, message on X.
Lakers HC JJ Redick Noted That Bronny James Had ‘Good Summer’ Before Roster Cuts
Overall, Lakers head coach JJ Redick sounded optimistic on James’ offseason. It remains to be seen if James will have a regular role in the Lakers rotation this season.
“I thought he had a really nice September and a good summer with us,” Redick said of James, per Yahoo Sports.
“I don’t think he’s played well in the four preseason games, but he’s had good practices. Again, some of it is just rhythm, some of it is who he’s playing with, right?” Redick added.
“He’s played a lot of minutes especially in the second half of games with our two big guys, you know, and tonight he played with Rafael [Castro] who’s been with us for three days. So some of it is like the group he’s with – it’s not necessarily setting him up for success.”
Bronny James on LeBron James Bolting Lakers for 76ers: ‘He’s Got His Own Path’
LeBron’s exit from the Lakers was, by far, the biggest storyline of the NBA offseason. James admitted that he had little to do with his dad’s free agency decision to join the 76ers.
“We’re men of very little words when it comes to talking about business and what we’re going to do and how we feel about each other,” James said of LeBron’s decision to leave the Lakers for the Sixers, per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. “So, it wasn’t really much [discussion] to be honest with you.
“He’s got his own path, and I got my own. He knows that I want to make a name for myself, and I want to continue my career and keep growing as a player. And he knows that I want to focus on that. So, he decided to do that.”
Lakers Announce Decision on Cutting Ties With Bronny James Amid Rumors