Los Angeles Lakers make Bronny James decision after LeBron James departs for Philadelphia 76ers

Bronny James, son of NBA icon LeBron James, is near to a final decision being made by the Los Angeles Lakers regarding his future after his father left the franchise for Philadelphia.

James’ presence in the league is a frequent source of debate amongst NBA fans, with many claiming that LeBron’s influence is not just the primary, but the sole reason his son was able to secure a contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The NBA GOAT contender spent eight years with the franchise, winning the 2020 NBA Championship with LA, before exiting this summer to join the Philadelphia 76ers in one final bow.

With his father no longer a Laker, the future for Bronny has remained unclear in recent months, despite receiving play-off minutes against the Houston Rockets.

Those appearances came during an injury crisis for Los Angeles, which LeBron was instrumental in seeing the franchise through despite exiting next round to 2025 Champions the Oklahoma City Thunder.

James and his father provided NBA fans with glimpses of stunning link-up play in that series, however, the youngster is far from being a starter for the Lakers, or even a sixth man.

James was expected to also make the move to Philadelphia with his father, as LeBron is looking to provide as much on-court aid for his son as possible in the final years of his career; however, the Lakers’ stance regarding the 21-year-old appears to be firm.

Los Angeles show all the signs of a franchise looking to keep Bronny James

According to a report from Lake Show Life, there is currently no word of James being “on the chopping block” ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season.

Prior to LeBron’s move to Philadelphia, the Lakers guaranteed James’ contract for an estimated $1.3million out of his $2+million contract for the upcoming season.

After LeBron made his decision, the Lakers had the opportunity to release James into free agency, freeing up around $1million in cap space and cutting a deal with the 76ers.

That did not happen, and there is currently no word of James’ status as a Laker being in danger, meaning that the franchise appear to have bet on their ex-player’s hotly-debated son.

LA sent the youngster to the G-League shortly after his arrival, a common move made to aid in the development of a talent not yet ready for the speed and physicality of the NBA.

That process culminated in him receiving play-off minutes last season, albeit in an injury crisis, and James appeared in 42 regular season clashes for an average of almost nine minutes per game.

That total is up on the 27 regular season face-offs James played in the NBA in 2024-25, for an average of just under seven minutes per game.

According to the Lake Show Life’s report, James is considered to be an asset of ‘real value’ heading into the 2026-27 season, meaning it is expected the 21-year-old will make the leap to become a regular appearance-maker for the franchise. He will not be traded away for anything besides a lucrative financial incentive.