Bronny James Rumors | Hoops Rumors

LeBron James: “We Don’t Have Room For Error”

January 20th, 2025 at 8:00am CST by Arthur Hill

With the trade deadline 17 days away, LeBron James may be sending a message to the front office that something needs to be done. The Lakers star talked about the limits of the team’s current roster after a 116-102 loss to the cross-town Clippers Sunday night, according to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times.

James said the team has a razor-thin margin for error because of the way the roster has been put together. Asked if there is a way to improve that internally, James responded, “Nah. That’s how our team is constructed. We don’t have room for error — for much error.”

Presented with a follow-up question about whether the Lakers have to be nearly perfect to have a chance to win, James said, “We don’t have a choice. I mean… that’s the way our team is constructed. And we have to, we have to play close-to-perfect basketball.”

Woike points out that even though the Lakers are sixth in the West at 22-18, their underlying numbers haven’t been good. Despite the winning record, their point differential is minus-2.6, which ranks 12th in the conference.

They’re also failing to capitalize on a favorable part of the schedule, as Sunday was their 10th time playing in Los Angeles over a 12-game stretch. The Lakers are just 5-5 so far and are in danger of slipping out of a guaranteed playoff spot and maybe even the play-in tournament.

Adding to James’ point about roster construction, he probably didn’t expect to be playing such a major role at age 40. He’s logging 34.9 minutes per night, which is roughly in line with his playing time since he came to L.A. seven years ago, and is averaging 23.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 8.8 assists. He has only missed four games this season, and the Lakers usually need a huge effort from him to be competitive.

It’s also worth noting that part of the roster construction issue stems from taking James’ son, Bronny James, with a second-round pick and giving him a standard contract rather than a two-way deal. The 20-year-old guard has spent much of his rookie season in the G League and has averaged just 2.4 minutes in nine NBA games.

The Lakers have already made one significant deal, acquiring Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton from Brooklyn last month in a four-player trade. That hasn’t been enough to spark the team in a tight Western Conference playoff race.

Making pointed remarks close to the trade deadline has been a pattern throughout James’ career, but he’s not the only one who believes the Lakers are in a difficult position. A longtime scout tells Woike that the Lakers appear “stuck,” and coach J.J. Redick expressed similar concerns Sunday night.

“We don’t have a huge margin for error. Nor can we create that margin organically,” Redick said. “It has to be emphasized daily to touch the paint, to play paint-to-great mentality, make the extra pass. We don’t have a guy on our team that’s going to necessarily always draw two to the ball. We don’t have a guy on our team that’s going to be able to get past his guy one-on-one and get to the paint and spread it out to the perimeter. Like, that’s just not our team. So we have to do it through connectivity, through execution. And when we do that, we’re really good.”

Lakers Notes: Redick, Reaves, Bronny, Jemison

January 16th, 2025 at 7:24pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Lakers coach JJ Redick challenged the Lakers to prioritize connectivity and communication on Wednesday before playing the Heat, but they faced a big deficit at halftime. According to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times, Redick got it through to his team that they needed to talk more and play harder.

The Lakers fared better against Miami’s zone defense in the second half and came back to register their first win since Jan. 3.

“I challenged the team across the board today in our meeting about leadership,” Redick said. “And leadership — people think about talking, obviously being vocal, talking in the huddles, whatever it may be. That certainly is a form of leadership. But leadership takes many forms. And I think talk is a requirement of the job as a basketball player. Talk is a requirement of the job.”

According to Woike, Los Angeles’ Wednesday win was a sign of growth, with players taking accountability for things they hadn’t been doing.

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Guard Austin Reaves played a huge role in the win against Miami and he’s continuing to grow as a play-maker. Reaves is averaging 9.6 assists per game since Christmas, including a career-high 16 on Dec. 29 and 14 against the Heat. According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Twitter link), Redick said Thursday that Reaves is playing at an “All-Star level.” His season-long averages of 17.9 points and 6.2 assists per game would be career highs if they hold.
LeBron James continues to be thrilled about having Bronny James on the roster, even if the younger James isn’t playing much, Chuck Schilken of the Los Angeles Times writes. “Bronny doesn’t have to play basketball at all,” LeBron James said on the New Heights podcast (YouTube link). “It’s not like he needs the money. He can do whatever he wants to do. Like, if he wants to be the CEO of my company, he could be that. I’ll start teaching him right now to be that if he wants to. But he’s like, ‘This is my career … my goals and … aspirations and I want to play ball. This is something I love.’ I love that kid. He’s awesome.” Bronny has played sparingly at the NBA level, but he’s averaging 14.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game in the G League.
The Lakers signed Trey Jemison to a two-way contract on Wednesday, replacing Quincy Olivari. That deal is for two years, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
According to McMenamin (Twitter link), the addition of Jemison coincides with the coaching staff’s desire to play Anthony Davis with another center on the floor. Outside of Jemison, the Lakers’ centers on the roster consist of Christian Wood, Jaxson Hayes and Christian Koloko. Wood hasn’t played all season due to a knee injury, while Hayes has also battled health issues and Koloko (on a two-way) has had a limited role.

Lakers Notes: Bronny, G League Showcase, Defense, Davis, LeBron

December 21st, 2024 at 5:17pm CST by Arthur Hill

The past year-and-a-half would have been remarkable for Bronny James even if he weren’t the son of an NBA legend. A high-profile recruit at USC, he suffered cardiac arrest during a Trojans practice during the summer of 2023 and underwent a medical procedure to fix a congenital heart defect. That was followed by the Lakers‘ controversial decision to take him with a second-round pick so he could make history by teaming up with his father. After making a few appearances at the NBA level, James has been honing his skills with South Bay and is playing this week at the G League Showcase in Orlando.

“I’ve become resilient over these past couple of years fighting through injuries, mental illness, stuff like that,” James told Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. “Just, you know, coming in and working every day and staying the course.”

The level of scrutiny has been intense for a 20-year-old rookie, but James said the public perception “flies in one ear and out the other.” He has the security of a four-year, $7.9MM contract, and he’s working to improve his game to ensure that he has a long NBA future. He also doesn’t lose sight of the fact that he’s fortunate to still be playing after his medical emergency.

“My family, my parents, they are extremely thankful that I’m not only able to play basketball but also just walk around and speak to other people,” James said. “It’s a blessing to be able to play this sport that I love. There’s a chance I wasn’t going to be able to. So I wake up and I’m thankful for that every day.”

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James is the most famous name in the G League Showcase, but anyone expecting him to dominate has come away disappointed, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic. He had 16 points and five assists on Thursday, but followed up that performance with six points, seven assists and six turnovers on Saturday. Carelessness with the ball has been an issue since James was sent down to the G League, Hollinger adds, and he’s shooting just 24-of-76 from the field with South Bay.
Better teamwork is being credited for the Lakers’ improvements on defense, per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. The team’s three best statistical defensive outings have come in the past two weeks, and Anthony Davis said it’s because players are committed to working together as a unit. “We’re just covering for each other,” he said. “We [weren’t] having a lot of that. A guy gets beat, it wasn’t a guy there to protect him. We’ve got some practice time to kind of take care of that. And it’s shown and translated onto the court.”
Davis, who is dealing with a contusion on his left elbow, and LeBron James, who is still managing an injured left foot, were both upgraded to available for today’s game against Sacramento, tweets Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

Pacific Notes: Leonard, Schroder, Van Arsdale, Bronny

December 17th, 2024 at 8:04pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kawhi Leonard, who has yet to make his season debut as he rehabs his right knee, took part in two non-contact practices last week. Noting that Leonard has “progressed very well,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue didn’t offer any real hints about when his star forward might suit up, but said Kawhi may accompany the team on its upcoming two-game road trip.

“I think we’re going to be more excited to have him for a full practice,” James Harden told Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. “We don’t really have contact practice, but when we do, just contact practice and then games. So, he’s inching his way back towards the court and take his time. Whenever he’s ready, we’re ready for him.”

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Warriors coach Steve Kerr said that newly-acquired Dennis Schröder will take some of the offensive burden off Stephen Curry. “We need a pick-and-roll player right now,” Kerr said, per Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal. “The last 10 games, our pick-and-roll efficiency is dead last in the league. Teams are loading up on Steph. You can’t ask him to run every pick-and-roll. Dennis is a pick-and-roll player.”
Suns legend Dick Van Arsdale has passed away at the age of 81, the team’s PR department tweets. He was the first selection in the expansion draft to build the Suns’ roster and scored the first points in team history. Van Arsdale earned three All-Star selections, was a member of the team’s NBA Finals team in 1976 and retired as the franchise’s all-time leading scorer in 1977. Van Arsdale was also a broadcaster and front office executive for the franchise.
Lakers rookie guard Bronny James will participate in the NBA G League Winter Showcase this week, Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin of ESPN report. The Lakers’ front office and James’ agents at Klutch Sports partnered on the plan to have the guard play in the Orlando event as another step in his development, the ESPN duo adds. Bronny has averaged 20.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists over his past three games for the South Bay Lakers.

Lakers Rumors: Trade Targets, LeBron, Davis, Bronny, Hachimura

December 17th, 2024 at 12:12pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers are expected to be one of the most active buyers on the trade market during the 2024/25 season, though it remains unclear how much of their available draft capital they’re willing to move and how significant a deal they’ll make, says Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

As Buha notes, the Lakers were also considered likely to buy last season, but ultimately stood pat at the February trade deadline, choosing not to surrender a first-round pick. However, there’s hope that Golden State’s deal for Dennis Schröder (which saw the Warriors give up three second-round picks and get one back) may be a signal that teams’ asking prices for useful role players will be more modest this time around.

The Lakers are believed to be in the market for three kinds of players, according to Buha: a “physical, defensive-minded” center, a three-and-D wing, and an athletic guard with some size who can defend at the point of attack. As Buha writes, players the Lakers have been linked to in the past, including Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas and Nets wings Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith, are among the targets who would make sense at this season’s deadline.

Jazz guard Collin Sexton and center Walker Kessler, Raptors swingman Bruce Brown, Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant and center Robert Williams, and Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma are some of the other potential players of interest who have come up in Buha’s conversations with team and league sources. However, the Lakers aren’t expected to be in on former All-Stars like Jimmy Butler, Zach LaVine, and Brandon Ingram, Buha adds.

Here’s more on the Lakers and their approach to the trade deadline:

Unsurprisingly, the Lakers aren’t considering trading LeBron James and Anthony Davis and almost certainly wouldn’t do so unless they asked to be dealt, sources tell Buha. Other players unlikely to be moved include Austin Reaves, Max Christie, and Dalton Knecht, who are viewed as potential long-term pieces.
While Bronny James isn’t untouchable, he’s not expected to be included in a trade that doesn’t involve his father, sources tell The Athletic.
One or more of the Lakers’ four mid-sized contracts – D’Angelo Russell ($18.69MM cap hit), Rui Hachimura ($17MM), Gabe Vincent ($11MM), Jarred Vanderbilt ($10.71MM) – figures to be included in any deal of note this season. Of those players, Hachimura looks like the one the Lakers would least want to move, Buha writes, though the forward would probably also have the most trade value of the four. Russell hasn’t drawn significant interest from potential suitors during previous discussions, Vincent has dealt with injuries and has struggled offensively since joining the Lakers, and Vanderbilt has yet to make his season debut as he recovers from offseason surgeries on both feet.

Lakers Notes: LeBron, Reaves, Bronny, Slump

December 11th, 2024 at 10:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

LeBron James was absent for personal reasons Wednesday as the Lakers held their first full practice during a break in the schedule, writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. After missing his first game of the season on Sunday due to soreness in his left foot, James “wasn’t in the building” Tuesday for what coach J.J. Redick called a voluntary “get what you need day.” James had an excused absence today, and it hasn’t been determined if he’ll travel with the team for Friday’s game at Minnesota.

“I don’t know yet,” Redick told reporters. “Again, it’s personal reasons, so he’s taking some time.”

James continues to put up remarkable numbers in his 22nd NBA season, averaging 23.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 9.1 assists through the first 23 games, but he may be getting worn down from the long schedule as his 40th birthday approaches later this month. He played 43 minutes in Friday’s overtime loss at Atlanta, leading to the decision to hold him out on Sunday.

Max Christie said the Lakers are staying focused on the task ahead of them while James is away.

“Having a leader like that that’s not here is tough, but I know some of that stuff is out of our control,” Christie said. “It’s kind of like a next-man-up mentality, still, even in practice. The guys still competed really hard even though he wasn’t here. There was some good leadership, there was good vocalization for us as a team, good collaboration, so it was a good practice.”

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Austin Reaves was nearly a full participant in today’s practice as he works his way back from a bruised left pelvis that has caused him to miss the last five games, Price adds. Reaves was held out of one drill that Redick described as “particularly physical,” but he was able to take part in five-on-five scrimmages and other portions of the session. He’s still considered day-to-day.
Bronny James will begin playing in G League road games, with the first one coming Thursday in Phoenix against the Valley Suns, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link). Earlier in the season, Bronny was shuttling back and forth between the Lakers and the G League, but there was always the possibility that he would increase his time with South Bay, notes Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Jovan Buha of The Athletic looks at what’s gone wrong for the Lakers during a 3-7 stretch has dropped them into eighth place in the Western Conference. There’s plenty to address as L.A. ranks 28th in the league offensively and 24th defensively over its last 10 games. Redick and the players deserve their share of the blame, Buha states, but most should be directed at the front office for bringing back essentially the same roster as last season. He suggests that at least two trades could be necessary to contend for a title, which might mean parting with first-round picks in 2029 and 2031.

Injury Notes: Sixers, Gordon, Powell, Richards, Bronny

November 30th, 2024 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Joel Embiid (left knee injury management and personal reasons) will miss a fourth straight game on Saturday when the Sixers face the Pistons in Detroit, while Kyle Lowry (right hip strain) will sit out for a fifth in a row, according to Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia.

The good news for the 76ers is that Paul George, who has been out since November 20 due to a left knee bone bruise, has been upgraded to questionable and appears on track to be a game-time decision.

“We did do a good amount of contact and playing as well, so it was good to see,” head coach Nick Nurse said after George participated in Friday’s practice. “He looked pretty good out there.”

As for the status of Embiid’s knee? “The swelling’s gone down a bit,” Nurse said. “Still some soreness there. That’s about all I can say.”

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon participated in Saturday’s practice and is nearing a return, head coach Michael Malone said today (Twitter link via Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette). Gordon has been on the shelf for Denver’s past 10 games as he recovers from a right calf strain. His return will be a boon for the Nuggets, who have a +10.3 net rating in Gordon’s 212 minutes on the court this season.
Clippers swingman Norman Powell has missed the team’s past six games due to a left hamstring issue but is expected to return for the four-game homestand that begins on Sunday vs. Denver, writes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Powell is the Clippers’ leading scorer so far this season with an average of 23.3 points per game.
Hornets center Nick Richards will be available to play on Saturday against Atlanta for the first time since November 1 after recovering from a broken rib, tweets Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. With Mark Williams unavailable so far this fall, Richards was Charlotte’s starting center prior to his injury.
Lakers guard Bronny James, who hasn’t played in either the NBA or the G League since November 17 due to a left heel contusion, will begin his ramp-up process after team doctors determined in a Friday exam that the injury is healing, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. James will be reevaluated in one week.

Lakers Notes: Hayes, Cap, Goodwin, Possible Trade Targets

November 13th, 2024 at 1:19pm CST by Luke Adams

Lakers center Jaxson Hayes has been diagnosed with a left ankle sprain, the team announced today. As Dave McMenamin of ESPN details, the injury occurred during Tuesday’s practice and will force Hayes to miss at least a few games. The club’s plan is to reevaluate the big man’s ankle in one-to-two weeks.

Hayes has played a regular role in the Lakers’ rotation this fall and is coming off his best game of the season. He had 12 points, six rebounds, and a block in 21 minutes of action during Sunday’s win over Toronto, with the Lakers outscoring the Raptors by 21 points during his time on the floor.

The Lakers are also missing center Christian Wood, who will be out until at least mid-December, so their options in the middle will be limited until Hayes is ready to return.

Anthony Davis figures to handle the majority of the minutes at the five, with two-way center Christian Koloko also in the mix. Small-ball lineups that deploy a forward like LeBron James or Rui Hachimura as the de facto center will also be an option for head coach J.J. Redick.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

The Lakers are now operating just $30K below the second tax apron rather than $45K below it, since they took on a $15K cap charge for Jordan Goodwin, who was injured prior to the season while on an Exhibit 9 contract with the team, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. The second apron isn’t technically a hard cap for the Lakers at this point, but if they aggregate salaries in a trade this season, it would become one.
The Lakers consider it a priority to add frontcourt depth, sources tell ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Insider link). However, the front office has “been met with more closed doors” than usual while scouring the trade market, according to McMenamin. It’s unclear whether that’s a function of the cap, tax, and apron restrictions facing teams around the league, a reflection of the limited appeal of the Lakers’ trade chips, or a combination of both.
During a discussion about possible Lakers trade targets on the latest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link), McMenamin said Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas is “certainly a name that’s legitimately still on the Lakers’ radar.” McMenamin also mentioned Robert Williams of the Trail Blazers and Nic Claxton of the Nets as possible targets for L.A., though that sounded more like speculation than hard reporting. “Because they won in 2020 with the Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee combo next to Anthony Davis,” McMenamin explained, “Anthony Davis never let go of that idea that, ‘That’s my best chance to win with LeBron, to have that extra layer defensively,’ and quite frankly, help him get through the slog of the regular season in terms of the beating that he’ll take on the block battling these guys.”
In case you missed it, the Lakers plan to have rookie guard Bronny James suit up for the South Bay Lakers only during home games, rather than having him travel on the road with the G League affiliate. Shams Charania reported those plans last week, but they’ve reemerged as a popular topic of discussion today after Brian Windhorst criticized the decision on the latest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link).

Pacific Notes: Melton, Reddish, Bronny, Suns

November 9th, 2024 at 10:45pm CST by Arthur Hill

Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton said it felt “amazing” to be back on the court Friday night after missing five games due to a back strain, writes Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. He was able to play 18 minutes, contributing 10 points, two rebounds and three assists as he moved right back into coach Steve Kerr‘s expanded rotation.

“Aggravation and they wanted to be cautious about it,” Melton said of the injury. “They just want to make sure I’m staying strong right now. Staying solid in terms of everything. Not worrying about necessarily being out there all the time, but the long haul.”

Melton experienced back pain while playing for Philadelphia last season and was unavailable for 40 of the final 45 regular season games. Golden State was aware of his physical issues when it signed him in free agency this summer, and the team’s medical staff is being careful in how it’s handling him.

“I’ve got a lot of trust in what they do,” Melton said, “and they’ve gotten me this far, so I’m in it.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Lakers coach J.J. Redick considers his starting lineup to be “fluid,” per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register, so any changes like Friday’s move to replace D’Angelo Russell with Cam Reddish may not be permanent. Reddish put up modest stats with three points and five rebounds, but he impacted the game on defense, particularly in his matchups with Paul George. “Every team is different, every coach is different,” Reddish said. “I just go out there and do what (Redick) tells me to do. In my past life, I was going out there doing what I wanted to do. That doesn’t necessarily work all the time.”
Several members of the Lakers showed up Saturday night to support Bronny James in his first G League game, according to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. The group included Redick, general manager Rob Pelinka, Russell, Anthony Davis and of course Bronny’s father, LeBron James. He posted six points, three rebounds and four assists for South Bay.
Rookie Ryan Dunn could be coach Mike Budenholzer‘s choice to replace Kevin Durant in the Suns‘ starting lineup while he’s recovering from a calf strain, suggests Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Royce O’Neale is a more experienced option, Rankin adds, but Budenholzer seems to prefer using him off the bench. Rankin states that the injury could also result in more playing time for Josh Okogie, who made his season debut on Friday, and Bol Bol, who has yet to play this season.

Lakers Notes: Davis, Hachimura, Bronny, Hayes

November 8th, 2024 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Lakers star Anthony Davis has been dealing with plantar fasciitis in his left foot since the end of last season, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). While Davis had to sit out Wednesday’s loss to Memphis, he’s listed as probable to play on Friday vs. Philadelphia and the team views the big man’s foot issue as a manageable one, Charania explains.

“This is a nagging heel injury that he’s been dealing with since the end of last season, over the summer, played with it in the Olympics,” Charania said (Twitter video link). “They’re confident there’s nothing structurally wrong there, but (it’s) something he’s going to have to manage, pain tolerance-wise. They’re hopeful that 24 to 48 hours off of that foot will help him going into (Friday).”

Having Davis available will be hugely important for the Lakers going forward. The nine-time All-Star is averaging a league-leading 32.6 points to go along with 11.6 rebounds, 3.0 steals, 1.7 blocks, and 1.6 steals per game through seven outings.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

The Lakers should have more reinforcements beyond Davis for Friday’s contest. Forward Rui Hachimura, who was unavailable on Wednesday due to an illness, is considered probable to play tonight vs. the Sixers, according to the official injury report.
The Lakers assigned Bronny James to the G League on Thursday and will recall him for Friday’s NBA game before sending him back to the South Bay Lakers for the team’s sold-out season opener on Saturday, per Charania (Twitter links). As Charania details, Los Angeles will shuttle the younger James back and forth frequently between the NBA and the NBAGL, but the plan for now is to have him play only in South Bay’s home games rather than traveling with the Lakers’ affiliate.
The NBA never spoke to the woman who accused center Jaxson Hayes of domestic violence before closing their initial investigation into the case, reports Mark Fainaru-Wadu of ESPN. Waukeen McCoy, one of the attorneys for Hayes’ former girlfriend Sofia Jamora, tells ESPN that the NBA’s legal department called him and that he returned that phone call and left a message, but never heard back. “They didn’t follow up with me,” McCoy said. “If they were actually doing a thorough investigation, they would have reached out to her lawyer and obtained info from us.” NBA spokesperson Mike Bass told ESPN that a league investigator “reached out multiple times” to Laura Stone, another of Jamora’s attorneys, and “did not receive a response to our outreach.” The NBA recently reopened its investigation into the incident when new video surfaced from TMZ.