Key Takeaways
- Multiple NBA teams reportedly want to trade for Bronny James after his improved shooting and role discipline caught league executives’ attention.
- Bronny raised his shooting to 40.9 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from three in Year 2, while the Lakers now want him to sharpen his defense against primary ball handlers.
- The Lakers have not indicated they are shopping Bronny, but they must shed a guaranteed contract before opening night and could pursue a consolidation trade.
Bronny James could have options outside Los Angeles.
Multiple NBA teams have reportedly expressed interest in trading for the Los Angeles Lakers guard as the franchise works through a roster crunch ahead of opening night. The report, coming months after LeBron James left Los Angeles for the Philadelphia 76ers, puts Bronny's future back under the microscope—but this time, the interest reportedly isn't just about his father.
According to Yahoo Sports, an unnamed league executive said Bronny's development over his first two seasons has caught other teams’ attention.
"There's definitely interest there," the executive said. "He's gotten much better in a short period. He knows his role, and it's hard to find young guys who just want to excel in their role."
No specific teams have been identified, and there is no indication that the Lakers are actively shopping Bronny.
Still, the timing is notable. Los Angeles reportedly needs to shed one guaranteed contract before opening night, with Dalton Knecht and Jaden Hardy among the names that could potentially be moved. A consolidation trade has been floated as one solution, although the Lakers could also simply waive a player.
Meanwhile, Bronny has given teams more to evaluate.
The Lakers selected him No. 55 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. As a rookie, he averaged 2.3 points, 0.8 assists, and 0.7 rebounds in 27 appearances, shooting 31.3 percent from the field and 28.1 percent from three.
His sophomore season brought a significant jump in efficiency. Bronny appeared in 42 games and averaged 2.9 points and 1.2 assists in 8.9 minutes per game, but his shooting improved to 40.9 percent overall and 38.6 percent from deep.
Entering Year 3, Bronny said the Lakers are pushing him to expand his impact on the other end of the floor.
"I think just building on defensive instinct, how I was in the playoffs, picking up full court, taking up the ball forward, [the coaching staff] have been emphasizing that," he said following a recent practice.
Bronny added that he's been picking up Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves full court in practice. He also said he, Quentin Grimes and Hardy have been getting opportunities as primary ballhandlers, giving them "confidence" in those assignments.
The reported outside interest also changes the tenor of a conversation that began when LeBron departed Los Angeles. Bronny was immediately linked to Philadelphia, but agent Rich Paul pushed back on the idea that father and son remained a package deal, saying there was no request or plan to move Bronny to the Sixers.
