The Los Angeles Lakers may have lost one James already, but the other James is now demanding the spotlight. Maybe it’s just a James thing.
After his father departed from the franchise, Bronny James’ future immediately became a topic of discussion. Just when it felt like James was the next James to leave the Lakers, it appears the team, despite currently being over the league’s roster limit, is prepared to retain the 21-year-old former second round pick, according to Khobi Price of the California Post.
“While LeBron and Bronny could be teammates for the 2026-27 season on LeBron’s next team, it also isn’t guaranteed the Lakers will trade the younger James to his father’s next destination,” Price wrote. “As has been described to the California Post, there’s a real possibility the Lakers will keep Bronny on their roster going into next season, even as they continue to tinker with their roster to be compliant with the league’s roster rules before Opening Night in October.”
As for a trade? If the Lakers were to explore trading the younger James — perhaps to a team that lands his father in free agency — they would ask for something substantial in return.
“If the team signing LeBron is also looking to acquire Bronny, they would likely need to send the Lakers a real asset as part of a trade,” Price wrote. “Bronny is well-liked throughout multiple levels of the organization.”
Why the Lakers Trading Bronny James Being Speculated
GettyINDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MARCH 25: Bronny James #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 25, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
After the elder James’ agent revealed to the Lakers that the 22-time All-Star was moving on from the team, a wave of speculation erupted over the younger James’ future.
The younger James’ contract for the 2026-27 season was guaranteed the day before his father left the team. If James isn’t back on the Lakers next season, he’ll almost certainly have been traded. But as The Athletic’s John Hollinger noted, the Lakers can’t be expected to move James just weeks after his contract for the upcoming season was set in stone.
“However, it would be an odd move for a team that just guaranteed James’s salary for 2026-27 a few weeks ago,” Hollinger wrote. “It seems much more likely the Lakers would part ways with the unwanted $6 million contract of Jaden Hardy, if the team is unable to use it in a trade first. The Lakers are more than $8 million from the first apron and, if they aren’t concerned about being in the luxury tax under the deep-pocketed ownership of Mark Walter, could also trade players such as Hardy, Dalton Knecht or Adou Theiro and take back twice as much in salary.”
Do LeBron Suitors View Bronny as a Must-Have?
The Lakers likely have little incentive to move James. The one thing that could convince the franchise to trade the 21-year-old is if a team in the running for his father comes calling with an offer. A pretty good one at that.
According to NBA insider Brandin Robinson, teams could believe landing the younger James would significantly improve their chances of signing the elder James.
“If a team attempting to land LeBron uses Bronny as a leverage point, acquiring the younger guard could tilt the scales in securing King James,” Robinson wrote.
It would be reasonable for the Lakers to ask for a notable trade asset in a deal for the younger James, given his youth and upside potential.
Report: Lakers Reveal Trade Price for Bronny James Ahead of LeBron Decision