The Los Angeles Lakers aren’t done making decisions quite yet. Perhaps one of the more interesting pieces of business they have on their bulletin involves Bronny James.
James is entering his second NBA season and, while the Lakers have shown they don’t mind staying patient as the 21-year-old develops, a trade could give them an opportunity to turn his roster spot into something more immediately useful.
Boston could be a reasonable landing spot for James in a three-team trade that would also send the Lakers a veteran center and give the Houston Rockets a pair of young players.
Here’s a simple trade framework that could send James to Boston.
Lakers receive: Clint Capela, Jordan Walsh and a 2031 second round pick (via HOU, with ATL swap rights)
Celtics receive: Bronny James
Rockets receive: Jaden Hardy and Dalton Knecht
This trade is hypothetical and intended to explore one way the Lakers could move James while adding a veteran center and another young player to their roster.
Would the Celtics take a chance on a 21-year-old guard who remains one of the more recognizable young players in the league? That’s debatable. But if they do, the Lakers would turn James into a potentially strong rotation piece in Capela and a young forward in Walsh.
Why the Celtics Could Take a Chance on Bronny
GettySAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JULY 06: Bronny James Jr. #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers warms up prior to the start of the 2024 California Classic summer league game against the Sacramento Kings at Chase Center on July 06, 2024 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
James has gone from being a highly scrutinized prospect at USC to hearing his name called No. 55 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. His rookie season with the Lakers was limited, but he showed enough flashes in Year 2 for the Lakers to continue believing in his development.
In the hypothetical scenario that James gets moved to the Celtics, he isn’t going to be asked to produce a ton or play 30 minutes a night. He would be joining a roster where he could develop behind established players while getting opportunities to show what he can do as an emerging player in his third season.
James is a 6’2” guard who has shown the ability to defend at the point of attack, and his shooting has continued to be a commendable part of his growth.
It is fair to question if the Lakers would consider James’ long-term upside to be less valuable than what Capela could provide right now, given one player is 21 with a ton of room to grow while the other is entering Year 13.
Clint Capela Could Solve Lakers’ Backup Center Problem
Capela has spent more than a decade as one of the NBA’s better rebounders and rim protectors. With the Lakers’ center depth being one of the bigger questions surrounding their roster, adding Capela would be a logical move.
A first round pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, Capela has averaged 11.1 points and 9.9 rebounds per game over his career. He led the league in rebounds in the 2020-21 season as a member of the Atlanta Hawks.
Capela would give the Lakers someone who can set hard screens for Doncic and run back on the other side of the court and deter players from attacking the basket. If this were eight years ago, Capela would be slamming the ball through the hoop off alley-oop passes. But he’s not that kind of player anymore, though he is 31, not 41.
If the Lakers want an affordable option to build out their frontcourt, going after Capela could be the move.
Lakers’ Bronny James Proposed to Land With Celtics in Major 3-Team Trade