![\"2024](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2024-california-classic-los-angeles-lakers-v-sacramento-kings-san-francisco-2.jpg\")
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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JULY 06: Bronny James Jr. #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on before warming 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. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll find out sooner than later if the Los Angeles Lakers<\/a> view Bronny James<\/a> as a part of their future. But as John Hollinger of The Athletic noted, the Lakers do have some incentive to trade James<\/a> this offseason.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe Lakers\u2019 addition of Matisse Thybulle<\/a> gives the Lakers 16 contracts, which could theoretically result in the Lakers cutting ties with Bronny James via either trade or waivers,\u201d Hollinger wrote in a July article. \u201cWaiving and stretching Bronny\u2019s $2.2 million deal would put the team under the luxury-tax line and put the roster into compliance.\u201d<\/p>\n But perhaps James\u2019 spot on the L.A. roster is safe for now.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, it would be an odd move for a team that just guaranteed James\u2019s salary for 2026-27 a few weeks ago. It seems much more likely the Lakers would part ways with the unwanted $6 million contract of Jaden Hardy<\/a>, if the team is unable to use it in a trade first.\u201d<\/p>\n The Bronny James Trade Chatter Around the Lakers\u00a0 GettySAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA \u2013 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<\/a> at Chase Center on July 06, 2024 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n Had James\u2019 father still been on the team, the 21-year-old guard would have almost certainly been out of NBA<\/a> trade rumors. LeBron James<\/a> chose to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers<\/a> in free agency, stirring speculation that his son could follow him. If the Lakers were to grant the elder James perhaps his wish of reuniting with his son, here\u2019s a deal the team could make.<\/p>\n Lakers receive: Ryan Kalkbrenner<\/a> and a 2032 second round pick (from PHI; MEM owns swap rights)<\/p>\n 76ers receive: Bronny James<\/p>\n Hornets<\/a> receive: Justin Edwards<\/a> and a 2032 second round pick (from LAL, via WAS)<\/p>\n The Lakers would ship out James for a quality back up center and recoup the second round pick sent to the Hornets to acquire Kalkbrenner, the 24-year-old rising star big man who averaged 7.6 points and 1.5 blocks per game as a rookie last season. <\/p>\n With L.A. in need of someone to backup the newly-acquired Walker Kessler<\/a> on the roster, they would probably make a trade like this if James or another low-salary player was involved in the deal.<\/p>\n Bronny\u2019s L.A. Exit Not a Foregone Conclusion<\/p>\n After James\u2019 father joined the Sixers, Khobi Price of the California Post reported that the Jameses reunion in Philadelphia was far from guaranteed.<\/p>\n \u201cAs the California Post previously reported, LeBron\u2019s decision to leave the Lakers didn\u2019t necessarily mean Bronny would join him on his next team,\u201d Price wrote. \u201cBut if the 76ers want to make a deal for the 21-year-old guard entering his third NBA season, there are multiple directions they could go. A simple one: Bronny being traded for \u2026 Jabari Walker<\/a> and one of the several second-round picks the 76ers own (three in 2027 including their own, potentially three in 2028, their own in 2029, etc.).\u201d<\/p>\n With the Lakers needing to address the wing and backup center positions, it is unlikely they would ask for a guard in a James trade.<\/p>\n However, it\u2019s not just that a James-to-the-Sixers trade isn\u2019t necessarily on the table. The Lakers may not trade him at all.<\/p>\n Price reports that James is appreciated within the Lakers.<\/p>\n \u201cBronny is well-liked throughout multiple levels of the organization.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Entering his third season, James, especially if he stays in L.A. and outside of his father\u2019s shadow, will have the opportunity to play with reduced pressure. After showing some improvement as a sophomore, perhaps a leap is on the horizon for the 21-year-old.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tAdel Ahmad<\/a> Adel is a writer with over five years of experience covering the NBA. His work has appeared on various media platforms, both national and local. More about Adel Ahmad<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getty SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JULY 06: Bronny James Jr. #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":863186,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[557],"tags":[64,63,590,85],"class_list":["post-863185","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-nba","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/863185","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=863185"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/863185\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/863186"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=863185"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=863185"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=863185"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"2024](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2024-california-classic-los-angeles-lakers-v-sacramento-kings-san-francisco-1.jpg\")
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