Bronny James
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Bronny James scored three points on Tuesday night.
Since the trade deadline, the Los Angeles Lakers have continued to reshape their roster, bringing in Luke Kennard while promoting Kobe Bufkin to a full-time NBA contract.
That roster movement continued on Thursday beyond the main roster. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Lakers have assigned Bronny James to their G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, marking his second assignment in a short span.
Just before the All-Star break, James played a key role in South Bay’s victory over the San Diego Clippers, finishing with 12 points, three rebounds, six assists, and two blocks in 29 minutes off the bench.
The matchup also featured fellow Lakers two-way players Drew Timme, Nick Smith Jr., and Chris Manon, highlighting the organization’s continued commitment to using the G League as a developmental platform.
Lakers Continue Bronny James Development Plan
It remains unclear whether Timme, Smith Jr., Manon, or other players will also be reassigned this time around, but James appears likely to receive extended opportunities.
South Bay is scheduled for a back-to-back road set against the Texas Legends on Friday and Saturday, with promotional material circulating on social media featuring James alongside former top prospect Emoni Bates, who currently plays for Texas.
Through 10 G League appearances this season, James has averaged 12.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game while shooting 46.0% from the field and 29.6% from three-point range.
At the NBA level, James has remained on the fringes of the Lakers’ rotation, making consistent G League minutes a valuable opportunity to accelerate his development.
After a slow start to his rookie campaign, James showed clear progress late last season. Over his final 11 regular-season games, he averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.9 steals while shooting 38% from three-point range.
The Lakers will be hoping a similar stretch can help him build rhythm and confidence.
Lakers Face Growing Uncertainty Surrounding LeBron James’ Future
While Bronny continues to develop, the larger focus remains on his father, LeBron James, and the uncertainty surrounding his future.
The Lakers are entering a pivotal offseason, with roughly $51 million in projected cap space available to pursue significant roster upgrades. Much of that flexibility depends on James, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Austin Reaves is also entering free agency but is widely expected to remain in Los Angeles. LeBron’s future, however, remains far less certain amid ongoing retirement speculation and reported internal tensions.
Retirement talk has followed James for years, but the conversation has intensified this season. Questions persist about whether he could walk away after the 2025-26 campaign, embark on a farewell tour, or finish his career elsewhere.
Although James previously exercised his player option, he declined to sign an extension, positioning himself to enter free agency and maintain full control over his next move.
ESPN’s Shams Charania has suggested the partnership between James and the Lakers may be nearing its conclusion, describing it as an “end of a relationship” and adding that “the end is near however you wanna slice it.”
According to Charania’s colleague Dave McMenamin, the Lakers would remain open to James returning if he chooses to extend his career towards a potential 2027 retirement timeline.
At the same time, speculation surrounding a possible return to Cleveland has gained momentum. McMenamin has previously reported that the Cavaliers would not hesitate and would “gladly welcome” James back for another stint with the franchise.
As the offseason approaches, the future of both James remains one of the defining storylines for the Lakers and the league as a whole.