Bronny James

LeBron Was Willing To Give Bigger Discount For Impact Player

July 7th, 2024 at 9:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

LeBron James took less than the maximum in his latest two-year contract with the Lakers in order to give the front office more financial flexibility. He cited his strong “working relationship” with the club in an interview with ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

“We are in a relationship and anybody knows relationships, [knows that] it’s all about committing,” James said. “It’s also about doing things to help both sides. So, we’ve been in a working relationship going on seven years … so that’s what it’s about.”

According to McMenamin, James left nearly $3MM on the table in order to help L.A. avoid the second tax apron. James, who opted out of his previous contract prior to free agency, signed his two-year pact over the weekend.

Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, James’agent, told McMenamin that James was willing to take even less money to open up the $12.9MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception for the Lakers to use to try to sign an “impact player.” The players that they hoped could be attainable for the mid-level or via sign-and-trade included Klay Thompson, James Harden, Jonas Valanciunas and DeMar DeRozan. The Lakers weren’t able to land any of them.

“It takes two to tango,” James said. “I think our front office, our coaching staff, they tried to do the job that they wanted to do or tried to get guys to come and it didn’t happen. And that’s OK. That’s part of the business. I’ve been in this business long enough to know that sometimes it happens, sometimes it don’t. So we don’t sit here and lie about or cry about it. We move on and Klay’s a great player. Obviously DeMar’s a great player. Valanciunas was one of those guys who ended up going to Washington, was someone that was in talks with us, but we move on to see how we continue to get better.”

Unless they make a trade down the road, Lakers are basically running it back with virtually the same roster. Yet, James isn’t discouraged.

“We’ve done it before and we still have two guys who commit every single day with myself and (Anthony Davis). We commit to excellence and commit to win,” he said. “And we feel like any situation, any given year, we can put ourselves in a position to be able to succeed. And we’re not that far off. We were one year removed from the Western Conference Finals. Obviously, this year it didn’t go as well this past year. Didn’t go as well as we would like, but we’re not that far off.”

Of course, James has another reason to feel good about the front office. The Lakers drafted son Bronny James in the second round, which touched off a wave of criticism that he was undeserving of being selected. However, LeBron says his son simply ignores the outside noise.

“I don’t know if people really understand Bronny,” he said. “He doesn’t care. I actually care a little bit. When I came in [as a rookie], I wanted people to like me and some of the things that people were saying about me kind of bothered me early on in my career. … He doesn’t give a (bleep). He does not care about nobody. He doesn’t even listen to that stuff. He’s like the coolest. He’s like the complete opposite of his dad.

Lakers Notes: Bronny, Knecht, LeBron, Redick, St. Jean

July 7th, 2024 at 12:01pm CST by Rory Maher

Bronny James had an uneven debut with the Lakers on Saturday at the California Classic summer league, writes Anthony De Leon of The Los Angeles Times. The 55th overall pick of last month’s draft, James finished with four points (on 2-of-9 shooting), two assists, two rebounds and a steal in 22 minutes.

“Overall [I need to] just be aggressive, believe in myself and know that I can make plays for myself and my teammates,” James said. “Playing my game on the defensive end, especially because I believe I know how to play.”

“He’s going to play — granted, if he’s healthy — throughout this whole thing,” summer league coach Dane Johnson said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “We’re going to try to integrate him and try to get him as many reps as we can. Because he needs more experience playing. And especially the NBA game. It’s a little different than college, so getting reps in the NBA, in an NBA setting with good players will help him in the long run.”

First-rounder Dalton Knecht also showed signs of rust, De Leon notes, putting up 12 points, four assists, two rebounds and two steals, but going just 3-of-12 from the floor in 26 minutes. The Lakers lost to the Kings by 14 points.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

ESPN insiders McMenamin, Kendra Andrews and Baxter Holmes provide their takeaways from Bronny’s debut.
LeBron James was ecstatic that the Lakers drafted his son Bronny, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “For me to see my son to be able to, you know, be in the NBA alone. I mean, it’s always been a dream of his and for us to be side by side … there’s a loss of words, to be honest,” LeBron said after his first practice with Team USA ahead of the Paris Olympics.”I mean, the kid has worked so hard to get back to this point. There’s just so much that’s happened over the last year with him to have this happen less than a year from his incident to be with our friends and our family. When they announced his name, it was something that was super surreal, and it’s kind of still, our family still don’t even have enough words to explain the feeling that we had.” Both LeBron and Anthony Davis — another member of Team USA — were optimistic about the hiring of J.J. Redick as head coach, Bontemps adds.
Replacing Darvin Ham with Redick has been the Lakers’ biggest offseason move to this point. Will a new coach be enough to improve a team with a roster that’s mostly the same as 2023/24? Mirjam Swanson of The Southern California News Group explores that topic.
The Lakers are hiring Greg St. Jean as an assistant coach on Redick’s staff, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). St. Jean, who was an assistant in L.A. when the Lakers won the title in 2020, has worked for Dallas and Phoenix in recent seasons, Scotto notes.

Lakers Notes: LeBron, Team USA, Las Vegas, Bronny

July 5th, 2024 at 11:50am CST by Rory Maher

The Lakers have agreed to a new two-year contract with LeBron James that features a player option for 2025/26 and a full no-trade clause. It will likely either be for the maximum salary or just under the max.

Bill Plaschke of The Los Angeles Times argues James’ lucrative new contract is a mistake from a team-building perspective and confirmation that the club’s offseason has been a failure to this point. Plaschke points to L.A.’s fruitless pursuits of Dan Hurley and Klay Thompson — both of whom reportedly accepted less money than the Lakers were offering — as evidence of how negatively the team is currently viewed, particularly when it comes to championship contention.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

Will James be a starter for Team USA at the Olympics in Paris? Joe Vardon of The Athletic explores that question, writing that while there’s a case to be made that the 39-year-old would be better suited to come off the bench, two sources close to the situation “cast serious doubt” on the possibility. Those same sources told Vardon that James will likely be the Americans’ starting point forward, allowing Stephen Curry to play more off the ball. Vardon also ponders which other players from the star-studded roster will start and the potential roles for the reserves.
There have been several reports indicating that James’ playing career could end in a year or two. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (Twitter video link via First Take), James will be weighing a couple of factors as he decides how long he wants to play. “The biggest thing, other than health, that we’re gonna see that is going to determine when the end of LeBron’s career is when the owners of the league set forth a timeline about when they’re gonna establish that expansion team in Las Vegas,” Windhorst said, per RealGM. “Now, nothing is assured … but I suspect once the TV rights deals get wrapped up … they’re gonna bring expansion to the table. … (James) wants to join up with partners to become the face of the franchise in Las Vegas.” Windhorst acknowledges that several factors would have to line up perfectly for that scenario to come to fruition.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report considers five paths the Lakers could take to improve their roster, with some scenarios more plausible than others.
The Lakers expect second-rounder Bronny James to spend most of his rookie season in the NBA G League, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on SportsCenter (YouTube link). LeBron’s eldest son was the No. 55 pick of last month’s draft.

Lakers’ Bronny James Signs Standard Contract

July 3rd, 2024 at 10:28am CST by Luke Adams

JULY 3: James has officially signed a four-year contract with the Lakers, Charania confirms (via Twitter). According to Charania, it’s a $7.9MM deal, which means it’s almost certainly worth the rookie minimum — a four-year, minimum-salary deal for a rookie would work out to $7,895,796.

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), the first two years will be guaranteed, with a partial guarantee of $1.3MM in year three. The fourth year is a team option.

JULY 2: No. 55 overall pick Bronny James will sign a standard contract with the Lakers that includes multiple guaranteed seasons, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

This has been the expectation for James once it became clear that the Lakers were targeting him at No. 55 in last week’s draft. Reports ahead of the draft indicated that Rich Paul was focused on getting Bronny a guaranteed 15-man roster spot rather than a two-way contract, which the agent later confirmed on the record.

Additionally, as John Hollinger of The Athletic observes, it’s not uncommon for potential luxury tax teams to sign late second-round picks to standard contracts for money-saving purposes, since they only count for the rookie minimum (about $1.16MM this season) instead of the veteran’s minimum of $2.09MM.

The Lakers will almost certainly use the second-round pick exception to sign James to a contract that covers either three or four seasons. The deal will include a team option on the final year.

L.A. Notes: Bridges, George, Tucker, Gentry, Thompson, Bronny James, Hood-Schifino

July 2nd, 2024 at 8:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Clippers have some interest in free agent forward Miles Bridges, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times reports. Bridges averaged 21.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists last season for the Hornets but his history of domestic violence allegations may have turned off some potential suitors. A sign-and trade would likely be required for the Clippers, with Norman Powell ($19.2MM) and Terance Mann ($11.5MM) among the potential trade pieces if something comes to fruition, Turner writes.

Law Murray of The Athletic confirms that the Clippers are exploring the possibility of adding Bridges, but he believes that the forward has more interest in the potential union than the team does. According to Turner, people close to Bridges view the Clippers as a fit due to the organization’s apparent willingness to give players second chances.

Los Angeles reached a deal earlier in free agency with guard Kevin Porter Jr., who also faced domestic violence allegations, and previously signed Joshua Primo, who was waived by the Spurs after he was accused of exposing himself to multiple women.

We have more on the Los Angeles teams:

An interesting side note on the failed Clippers-George negotiations, which led to his departure to Philadelphia: George, a California native, was “increasingly turned off” by the Clippers’ belief that he would stay with the team just so that his family could attend the games, according to The Athletic’s Murray.
In the same story, Murray reports that the Clippers are expected to part ways with P.J. Tucker this offseason, either by trading or waiving him. Tucker picked up his $11.54MM option for next season. Using the stretch provision to reduce his impact on the 2024/25 cap would be an option if he’s waived, Murray notes.
The Lakers are interested in adding longtime NBA coach Alvin Gentry to J.J. Redick’s staff, Turner of the Los Angeles Times tweets. Gentry coached Anthony Davis and Redick in New Orleans.
Klay Thompson upset a member of his family by choosing to go the Mavericks instead of the Lakers, ESPN relays. Father Mychal Thompson, who played for the “Showtime Lakers” in the 1980s, wanted Klay to follow in his footsteps, he said in a SiriusXM NBA interview. “I’m really disappointed. I was hoping, as you can assess, that he would be a Laker,” Mychal said. “And it was close. It came down to the Lakers and the Mavs, but the Mavs won out. But you know me, I was hoping and praying he’d finish his career with the Lakers.”
There are many skeptics, but Redick said second-round pick Bronny James “earned” his way onto the Lakers, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “Rob (Pelinka) and I did not give Bronny anything,” Redick said. “Bronny has earned this. … Bronny has earned this through hard work.” LeBron James‘ son said he’s ready for the spotlight. “For sure, amplified amount of pressure,” Bronny said. “I’ve already seen it on social media and stuff, and the internet and stuff and talking about that I might not deserve an opportunity. But I’ve been dealing with st life. So it’s nothing different, but it’s more amplified, for sure. But I’ll get through it.” Bronny will sign a standard contract.
Lakers 2023 first-rounder Jalen Hood-Schifino won’t be on the club’s Summer League roster, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times tweets. He’s still rehabbing from back surgery.

Pacific Notes: George, Harden, Bronny, Knecht, Carter, Dunn

June 27th, 2024 at 10:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to reporters on Thursday night, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said the Clippers “love” Paul George and “very much want to retain” him, but acknowledged that the team doesn’t have full control over the process, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. George holds a $48.8MM player option for 2024/25. If he doesn’t get a contract offer he likes from the Clippers, he could turn down that option to become a free agent — or pick it up and request a trade.

“We hope Paul’s decision is to be here. He’s been awesome,” Frank said. “He’s been an All-Star. He’s one of the best two-way players in the league. He’s a terrific person. He’s got great family, so we hope he’s here but also respect the fact that if he chooses to opt out, that’s his choice. He’s earned it and we’ll see how things play out.”

In addition to George, the Clippers have another key player facing unrestricted free agency, with James Harden set to reach the open market on Sunday if he doesn’t agree to a new deal before then. Frank said talks with Harden’s camp so far have been productive.

“We think James has been terrific for us,” Frank said. “We hope he’s had a great experience while he has been here and we hope he decides to continue to be here. … We very much want James to remain a Clipper and hope he decides to do the same.”

Re-signing both George and Harden would likely make the Clippers a second-apron team for a second straight season, with more punitive roster-building restrictions taking effect this offseason for clubs above the second tax apron. Frank admitted that’s a factor the organization can’t ignore as it weighs potential roster moves.

“This is a business and the reality of the new CBA impacts teams like us,” he said, according to Youngmisuk. “When your better players are in their 30s and you’re trying to build a sustainable roster, it impacts it. Like if there was no CBA, with (Clippers owner) Steve Ballmer, it would be carte blanche. With the new CBA, it’s not even about the money as it is how are you going to build a sustainable roster, maintain your tools to have transactional flexibility? And with that comes really, really hard decisions.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

Discussing the Lakers‘ decision to draft Bronny James with the No. 55 pick on Thursday, head of basketball operations Rob Pelinka praised the former USC guard’s character, work ethic, and three-and-D potential, and said it would be “magical” to see him and his father LeBron James play alongside one another next season, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. While it’s safe to assume LeBron is happy with the pick, McMenamin says star big man Anthony Davis supported it too. “He’s very good defensively,” Davis said of Bronny. “He can read the floor very well. I think he’s a really good play-maker. I saw him work out a couple times besides the (Klutch Sports) pro day and working with a big — his reads, reading the defense, making the right passes — that was really impressive to me. I think he’s going to be fine, man.”
The Lakers were thrilled to land Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht at No. 17 on the first day of the draft, McMenamin writes in a separate story for ESPN. “If we would have had the 10th pick in the draft, we would have taken him. So, to get that value at 17 is really extraordinary,” Pelinka said, adding that new head coach J.J. Redick immediately started drawing up plays for the sharpshooter in the Lakers’ draft room. Viewed as a potential top-10 pick, Knecht slipped due to concerns about his age (23) and defense, sources tell Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
No. 13 overall pick Devin Carter is dealing with a shoulder injury and his status for Summer League is up in the air, Kings general manager Monte McNair told reporters on Wednesday. However, McNair suggested the injury isn’t a serious one, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. “I think we got to get him in here and get with our doctors and just see what it is,” the Kings’ GM said. “But when we get through the draft process, our docs are confident. We’ve been in touch with his team. We’re confident it’s not a long-term issue.”
Suns general manager James Jones acknowledged that first-round pick and defensive standout Ryan Dunn has room to improve as a shooter, but expressed confidence that will be possible in Phoenix, as Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports relays (Twitter video link). “I’m confident with our staff, with (Mike Budenholzer), our coaches, that he’ll be primed to improve as a shooter,” Jones said. “If he can do that and do it quickly, I think we found a gem.”

Lakers Select Bronny James With No. 55 Pick

June 27th, 2024 at 5:11pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Lakers have drafted All-NBA Los Angeles forward LeBron James‘ son, Bronny James, with the No. 55 pick out of USC.

Bronny James served as a backup combo guard on a middling Trojans team in 2023/24. USC finished with a 15-18 record and missed the NCAA Tournament, with former head coach Andy Enfield departing for SMU in the offseason.

Across his 25 healthy contests last season, the 6’4″ guard averaged just 4.8 points on .366/.267/.676 shooting splits, along with 2.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 0.8 steals a game. His season got off to a late start because he needed to be cleared after suffering cardiac arrest last July.

Isaiah Collier, who started ahead of James and had been considered a possible lottery prospect heading into 2023/24, fell to the Jazz with the No. 29 pick on Wednesday night.

James’ agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, was apparently contacting rival clubs during the draft to dissuade them from selecting Bronny prior to the Lakers’ pick. According to Bob Myers of ESPN (Twitter video link), Paul informed other teams that, if drafted ahead of Los Angeles’ pick, Bronny would explore pro opportunities with the NBL in Australia.

Now, Bronny James join a revamped Lakers team – coached by former NBA-sharpshooter-turned-analyst-and-podcaster J.J. Redick – that is angling for an extended playoff run in the West. How many minutes the younger James will earn as likely a deep-bench reserve remains to be seen. LeBron has been vocal in the past about hoping to play alongside his son, and the second they step foot on the floor together, it will be the first time in league history that a father-son duo has achieved that feat.

LeBron James has a $51.4MM player option to return to L.A. next season. With his former podcast co-host coaching the team and his son now joining the team’s roster, it seems like to help the Lakers’ cause.

Raptors Notes: Barnes, Cap Situation, Jones, Khoury, Draft

June 25th, 2024 at 10:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Now that the Raptors have agreed to a five-year max extension with Scottie Barnes, he must embrace the team’s rebuild and improve his game, Eric Koreen of The Athletic opines.

Among the things the Raptors need to see from Barnes, Koreen writes, is becoming a better finisher at the rim, a better on-ball defender and a more consistent outside shooter. Moreover, Barnes must be able to handle the responsibility of being the face of the franchise.

We have more on the Raptors:

Also weighing on the Barnes extension, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports said the clock has now truly started on the rebuild in Toronto. The Raptors might need to take another step back before getting back into playoff contention. Blake Murphy of Sportsnet takes a slightly different approach regarding Barnes’ payday, breaking down how the forward’s contract could impact their cap sheet over the coming years.
Drew Jones has been named the franchise’s new NBA G League coach with Raptors 905, according to a press release. Jones, 37, joined the Raptors organization last season as an assistant coach on Darko Rajaković’s staff. His coaching experience also includes two seasons as an assistant coach with the Pistons and two seasons with the 76ers, specializing in player development. Former 905 head coach Eric Khoury will rejoin Rajaković’s coaching staff.
The Raptors hold the No. 19 and No. 31 picks in this week’s draft. Assistant GM Dan Tolzman admits there’s plenty of uncertainty regarding who will rise and fall in the draft, as relayed by Lewenberg (Twitter links here). “This year, probably more than any year, it’s wide open,” he said. “The range of players is about as wide as I can ever remember so that really makes things difficult to project… There’s an added level of uncertainty that isnt common for this close to the draft.”
With the first pick in the second round, which will be held on Thursday after Wednesday night’s first round, Tolzman anticipates the phones being busier than usual leading up to that selection, though at this time they’re leaning towards keeping it. Tolzman also addressed a comment from agent Rich Paul, who said the Raptors might be interested in Bronny James. He offered a vague response. “He’s in the mix… Every player on the board we’re looking long and hard at and I wouldn’t say we’ve ruled anybody out,” Tolzman said.
If the Raptors decide to take a big man with one of those picks, who might available? Koreen looks at six prospects who could fit the bill, including Purdue’s Zach Edey and Duke’s Kyle Filipowski.

Fischer’s Latest: Redick, Lakers, Valanciunas, Knicks, Jazz, Rockets, Bridges

June 24th, 2024 at 8:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

J.J. Redick was just introduced as the Lakers head coach in a formal press conference on Monday, but he has already talked to members of the current roster about how he plans to maximize their personnel offensively, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reports.

Redick is going to put a premium on positional versatility, three-point shooting, and play-making, and has discussed specific roles with the players. He’ll also utilize lineups that can optimize LeBron James — his former podcast partner — off the ball.

League insiders continue to push the notion that the Lakers will look to upgrade the center position so that Anthony Davis can spend more time at power forward, Fischer writes. Baylor freshman Yves Missi and Indiana sophomore Ke’lel Ware are two possibilities they’ll look at with the No. 17 pick. However, they might be willing to move down the first round.

The Knicks and Jazz are each willing to trade their latter first-round pick and second-round draft capital to move up into the teens of this draft, Fischer hears. Utah owns the No. 29 and 32 picks and the Lakers might consider drafting Bronny James at one of those spots, rather than hoping LeBron’s son is still available with their second-rounder at No. 55.

Here’s more intel from Fischer:

Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas could be a free agent target for the Lakers if they decide to get veteran help at that spot. Hawks guard Dejounte Murray and Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant remain potential trade targets.
As previously reported, the Rockets are expected to pick up their $7.56MM option on Jae’Sean Tate and guarantee the salaries of Jeff Green and Jock Landale at $8MM apiece. That doesn’t mean they will remain on the roster. Houston could use those contracts as trade pieces. The Rockets are open for business on the No. 3 overall pick as they’re looking for win-now upgrades.
Numerous teams continue to check on the availability of Nets forward Mikal Bridges, including the Rockets, Knicks and Jazz. Utah could be well-positioned to make a significant move. It can dangle some significant contracts — John Collins ($26.5MM) and Jordan Clarkson ($14MM) — along with its 2024 draft capital (No. 10, 29, 32) and future picks from the Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell trades. The Jazz also have substantial cap room to absorb salary.
Along with the Knicks and Jazz, the Suns, Timberwolves and Celtics are among the teams with late first-rounders entertaining trade possibilities that could move them up or down in the draft.

Rich Paul: Wolves, Mavs, Raptors Among Teams Interested In Bronny James

June 19th, 2024 at 1:48pm CST by Luke Adams

USC guard Bronny James has only worked for the Lakers and Suns during the pre-draft process and there are no plans to have him visit any additional clubs, agent Rich Paul tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN.com. However, Paul spoke surprisingly openly about other clubs that he believes have interest in his client.

“There are other teams that love Bronny,” Paul said. “For example, Minnesota, Dallas, Toronto. If it’s not the Lakers, it will be someone else. (The Timberwolves) would love to get Bronny in, but I don’t know who their owner is going to be. (Mavericks general manager) Nico Harrison is like an uncle to Bronny. If the Lakers don’t take him at 55, Dallas would take him at 58 and give him a guaranteed deal. (Raptors president) Masai (Ujiri), loves him. They could take him without even seeing him at 31. Workouts aren’t everything for these teams.”

According to Givony, sources from several teams have told him that they’ve attempted to schedule a workout with James, but haven’t had any luck. Paul said that’s by design, pointing to his track record of steering his clients (such as Talen Horton-Tucker, Brandon Boston, and Chris Livingston) to preferred destinations in the second round and getting them guaranteed money and a spot on a team’s 15-man roster.

“This is nothing new,” Paul said. “The goal is to find a team that values your guy and try to push him to get there. It’s important to understand the context and realize that this has always been the strategy with many of my clients throughout the years, especially those in need of development like Bronny. My stuff is by design.

“… Bronny is the same as my previous clients. I got the word out early to teams that if you plan on bringing Bronny in, here’s what you need to know: If you won’t give him a real deal, there’s nothing to talk about. It’s hard to get real development on a two-way deal.”

Paul also revisited the idea that Bronny and his father (and fellow Klutch Sports client), LeBron James, will come as a package deal, reiterating that there’s no truth to it. In other words, Phoenix should use its No. 22 overall pick on Bronny in the hopes that LeBron will want to become a Sun.

“LeBron is off this idea of having to play with Bronny,” Paul told Givony. “If he does, he does. But if he doesn’t, he doesn’t. There’s no deal made that it’s guaranteed that if the Lakers draft Bronny at 55, he (LeBron) will re-sign. If that was the case, I would force them to take him at 17. We don’t need leverage. The Lakers can draft Bronny, and LeBron doesn’t re-sign. LeBron is also not going to Phoenix for a minimum deal. We can squash that now.”

LeBron still has a decision to make on his $51.4MM player option for the 2024/25 season. He’s widely expected to remain with the Lakers, whether he declines that option to sign a new contract or picks it up (possibly in tandem with an extension).

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