Lakers May Have Clear Path to Move Bronny James if LeBron Chooses Cavs

LeBron James’ potential Cleveland Cavaliers reunion could come with a twist involving Bronny James' future with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Jan 28, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) brings the ball up court in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After informing the Los Angeles Lakers that he won’t be returning and will play elsewhere during what will be a record-setting 24th NBA season, the speculation has run rampant about where LeBron James will suit up for the 2026-27 campaign.

Although James reportedly has a lot of teams interested in signing him, especially if he is willing to take the veteran minimum, which appears to be the case, the Cleveland Cavaliers seem to make the most sense in terms of a storybook ending.

The Cavs have been linked to James for quite some time, with Cleveland likely making an aggressive attempt to sign him this summer for a third and final stint.

Cavs Rumored to Be Keeping a Roster Spot Open for Bronny James

With LeBron already set to move on from the Lakers, there’s been a lot of talk about what the storied franchise will do with Bronny James.

Reportedly, the Lakers could try to trade Bronny to the team that signs James, and NBA insider Marc Stein says the Cavs may keep a roster spot open if LeBron returns to Cleveland.

One conspiracy whisper making the rounds: They want to make sure that they have open roster spots to be able to trade for the Lakers’ Bronny James in the event that they are able to welcome Dad back as a free agent signee.

The question now is when LeBron will make his long-awaited decision in NBA free agency. His representation, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, has made it clear that the perennial All-Star is in no rush to make a decision, which keeps Bronny’s future in limbo.

Lakers in Pursuit of Jonathan Kuminga

In the meantime, the Lakers seem to be putting all their efforts into going after unrestricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, who played last season with the Golden State Warriors before being traded to the Atlanta Hawks ahead of the NBA trade deadline in February. 

All signs point to Rui Hachimura being on the way out, while Kuminga is the ideal candidate to replace the sharpshooting forward. Hachimura is arguably the better player, but Kuminga would be part of the youth movement in Los Angeles, as he is five years younger than the 28-year-old veteran.

However, the Lakers don’t have enough cap space left, so Rob Pelinka and company have to get creative to figure out a way to bring in the former first-round draft pick.

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