Blazers, Lakers Trade Involving Bronny James Makes So Much Sense

The Portland Trail Blazers are not afraid to make some moves to improve their roster going into the season.

The Blazers made a surprising deal with the Memphis Grizzlies just before the start of free agency, acquiring Ja Morant from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray.

If they want to make another move between now and the start of training camp, they could make a splash and acquire Bronny James and Jarred Vanderbilt from the Los Angeles Lakers for Vit Krejci and Yang Hansen.

Why the Lakers Do It

The Lakers get this deal done because LeBron is no longer on the roster, so there is no obligation to have LeBron on the team as well.

Bronny appeared in 69 games across two seasons for the team, averaging 8.1 minutes per game. He averaged just 2.7 points per game, suggesting that he might not be a rotation player in the NBA. By moving on from him, the Lakers can acquire Vit Krejci, who is on a partially guaranteed contract. Krejci's full guarantee hits if he is on the roster by opening night, so the Lakers could try him out in training camp to see if he makes sense for them.

Yang is a first-round pick from the 2025 NBA draft who didn't have the strongest rookie season. He spent most of the year on the bench or in the G League, but arriving in Los Angeles could give him the change of scenery that he needs.

The Lakers likely wouldn't have space in the rotation for him, but he could learn behind Walker Kessler and Kevon Looney in hopes of possibly becoming a backup big man. The Lakers don't have a single player taller than 6-9 except for Kessler, so adding the 7-1 Yang would be a massive benefit for them.

Why the Blazers Do It

Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James dribbles the ball during the fourth quarter. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Blazers still view Yang as a long-term prospect, and they could have patience for him. Signing Robert Williams III to a three-year contract is a sign that he will likely be roadblocked from the rotation for the remainder of his rookie deal. On top of that, Donovan Clingan is due for a long-term extension next offseason, so it looks bleak for Yang's future in Portland.

Moving on from him to acquire Jarred Vanderbilt gives the team a true power forward option that they currently don't have. The team will likely have a few players work themselves into that power forward role, but none are as smooth a fit as Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt played 65 games for the Lakers last season, averaging 4.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. He also has experience playing for new head coach Micah Nori during the 2021-22 season, where he started 67 games for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In this deal, the Blazers also get Bronny, who is a low-risk, high-reward option that is bound to attract interest from fans in a low-cost fashion. Blazers owner Tom Dundon has expressed a liking towards these types of investments where it doesn't burn a hole in his pocket, but it is extracted for all the value that it's worth.

Bronny likely wouldn't play much for the Blazers, but this wouldn't necessarily be entirely a basketball move. The team has Damian Lillard, Ja Morant, Jrue Holiday, Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe ahead of him in the rotation, so Bronny likely wouldn't get in the game unless it was garbage time.

The Blazers would be over the tax after this trade, but cutting Micah Potter, who has a partially guaranteed contract, would get them back to under the tax. Vanderbilt's $12.4 million contract over two years makes this tricky, but getting him on the team instead of Potter gives them a solidified power forward that they can use in necessary lineups.

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