The 76ers could acquire Bronny James by sending the Lakers a future second-round pick and absorbing his salary into their $2.3 million trade exception, but there is currently no plan or request for him to join LeBron James in Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia 76ers would have a straightforward path to acquiring Bronny James from the Los Angeles Lakers, but there is currently no plan for him to follow his father to Philadelphia.
According to NBA reporter Evan Sidery, the Sixers could offer the Lakers a future second-round pick and absorb Bronny’s minimum salary into their available $2.3 million trade exception.
That framework would allow Philadelphia to complete the deal without sending a player back to Los Angeles, should LeBron James express interest in reuniting with his son.
LeBron and Bronny are not a package deal
Despite the simple financial pathway, Rich Paul has played down the possibility of another father-son reunion.
“As for the impact of LeBron James’ decision on his son Bronny James, Rich Paul, the agent for both, tells ESPN that ‘they are not a package deal,’ and there’s no current plan or request for Bronny James to join his father in Philly,” ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reported.
The clarification indicates that LeBron’s decision to join the 76ers was made independently of Bronny’s situation and that Philadelphia has not asked the Lakers about acquiring the young guard.
Credit AP-Scanpix
Lakers remain committed to Bronny
The Lakers recently guaranteed Bronny’s $2.29 million salary for the 2026-27 season.
The 21-year-old initially signed a four-year, $7.89 million contract after Los Angeles selected him with the No. 55 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Shelburne also noted that members of the Lakers’ staff have a fondness for Bronny, suggesting the organization continues to view him as a developmental player rather than merely a connection to LeBron.
Bronny appeared in 42 games last season while averaging fewer than nine minutes per contest, receiving most of his opportunities in a limited reserve role.
LeBron and Bronny made NBA history with the Lakers by becoming the league’s first father-son teammates.
Subscribe to BN+ and get access to exclusive content.
