Because his father is LeBron James, Bronny James has always been linked to him.
Bronny getting drafted, his first time playing in a game and even his playoff debut were all framed as a father-son NBA moment. However, LeBron is no longer a Laker and is taking his talent to the Sixers.
For those who think that means Bronny playing in Philadelphia is a foregone conclusion, think again.
Reports have indicated that his future is not linked to LeBron and he remains a part of LA’s young core.
And now, during
the “Brock & Alex” show on 97.1 The Fan LA, Lakers beat writer Khobi Price discussed the Bronny situation, explaining in detail why he might remain part of the franchise.
“The Lakers are more than happy to keep Bronny James. They drafted him in the second round two years ago. They developed him. They’re a fan of him. He has a lot of people who like him within the building. It’s not going to be one of those situations where they’re just going to send Bronny to wherever LeBron goes. It would take something real for the Lakers to want to trade him.”
Over the past two years, Bronny’s seen tremendous growth. The Lakers invested in his career, developing him on the roster and with the G League team and Bronny had some great shifts in the postseason against the Rockets.
During Las Vegas Summer League, he was present for Lakers games supporting the young guys. He also participated in the team’s veteran minicamp, according to reporting from Dan Woike of The Athletic.
That doesn’t seem like a player who has checked out and assumes he will no longer be a part of this franchise.
Even if, hypothetically, the Sixers would like Bronny, the Lakers shouldn’t just move him to please LeBron or Philadelphia.
They value Bronny, and a bad trade would be poor asset management and weaken LA’s guard depth for no reason.
So, sure, Bronny might be on the move, but that should only happen if it’s a trade that makes sense. The Lakers are in win-now mode and focused on building around Luka Dončić.
Bronny is a part of that vision, and that should only change if what they are getting in a trade can impact winning immediately.
If not, then Bronny can continue to grow and develop on the Lakers, and additional minutes will be on the table for him this year.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
