Bronny James is finally in a spot where the Lakers can evaluate him for what he is instead of what his last name means. With LeBron James now with the 76ers, Rich Paul has already said the two are not a package deal, and ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reported there is no current plan or request for Bronny to follow his father to Philadelphia. That leaves the Lakers with a cleaner read on the 21-year-old guard - and a real decision to make.
The short version: the Lakers should be willing to listen if another team comes with a serious multi-draft-pick offer. But that only works if the return actually has value.
Two throwaway second-rounders near No. 55?
That’s not enough.
There’s a reason the Lakers are not eager to move him. Khobi Price reported the franchise is “more than happy” to keep Bronny and that it would take “something real” to get them to trade him.
And from the Lakers’ side, that makes sense. They used the No. 55 pick on him in 2024, spent two seasons developing him, and recently guaranteed his $2.3 million salary for 2026-27.
His contract is worth around $7.9 million over four years, which makes him a very cheap young guard with at least some defensive upside.
Bronny also did show progress in his second season. He played in 42 games and averaged 2.9 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in fewer than nine minutes per game.
He shot 40.9% from the field, 38.6% from three, and 85.7% at the line. Those aren’t eye-popping numbers, but the shooting matters.
His path to being useful was always going to come through defense, athleticism, and catch-and-shoot threes, not isolation scoring.
His G League work with South Bay offered a better look at what he can do when he has room to operate. He averaged 15.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists there, and looked more comfortable creating out of pick-and-rolls, getting to the rim, and letting jumpers go without overthinking them.
He also got playoff minutes this season, appearing in eight games and averaging 1.5 points, 0.4 rebounds, and 0.9 assists. The Lakers even trusted him for longer stretches in Games 3 and 4 against the Rockets, which would not have happened in his rookie year.
That improvement is exactly why the Lakers are not in a rush to dump him. At the same time, improvement does not mean he has to stay forever.
The roster is crowded now, with Doncic, Reaves, Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, and Bronny all in the guard mix, while Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams can soak up wing minutes. Doncic is likely to play around 35 minutes per game, Reaves is expected to slide into the clear second-option role after LeBron’s exit, Sexton was brought in to attack the rim and score, and Grimes is the more established two-way guard.
Unless injuries hit, Bronny could again find himself stuck under 10 minutes most nights or back in South Bay.
That’s not a disaster for a 21-year-old. But it does mean his development could slow down. Another team might see more value in giving him 20 minutes, letting him make mistakes, and using his popularity to help a rebuilding roster draw attention.
And that’s where the draft-pick angle gets interesting. Picks are easier to package in future deals than Bronny himself, and the Lakers are trying to win now.
If a deal for Bronny can be turned into another defender, shooter, or frontcourt piece before the deadline, that could make more sense than holding onto him out of sentiment. It would not be choosing the future over Doncic’s window.
It would be turning one developing guard into someone ready to help immediately.
Still, the Lakers should not settle for a weak return just because the phrase “multi-pick package” sounds impressive. Two second-round picks from a strong contender could easily land in the No. 50-to-No. 60 range, and that is not enough for a player they know, have developed, and still see some upside in.
Bronny is inexpensive, under team control, and has already shown real shooting growth. For a team with expensive pieces, that kind of contract matters. The Lakers would also have to replace him if they moved him.
There’s no need to force the issue right now, either. His value could rise if he earns a real rotation role and proves the three-point shooting is sustainable. Another season of defensive growth could make him the kind of low-cost role player contenders always want.
And the Lakers should not trade him just to separate themselves from LeBron. That would be poor asset management, and it would be unfair to Bronny, who has kept working with the organization, attended Summer League games, and took part in the Lakers’ veteran minicamp after his father’s departure.
Philadelphia is not pushing for the reunion anyway. So the Lakers do not need to make a move for LeBron’s sake or anyone else’s. Bronny has to build his own career now, and the team that already knows his strengths and weaknesses may still be the best place for that to happen.
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