The Los Angeles Lakers have several decisions to make as the new season approaches, and if they choose to move on from any players, Bronny James could be among those in the mix.
Meanwhile, veteran analyst Bill Simmons has proposed an unusual LeBron James-related angle that other teams might consider if they explore a trade for the young Lakers star.
Bill Simmons Reveals Bold Bronny James Plan to Neutralize LeBron James
Many believe the Lakers should consider trading Bronny if he fails to develop a strong fit alongside Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves early next season. Bronny has indeed shown encouraging progress, but a return to below-average shooting could prompt Los Angeles to move on.
The Lakers selected Bronny with the No. 55 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. During his rookie season, he made NBA history alongside LeBron as the first father-son duo to appear on the court together in a regular-season game.
With the 41-year-old now with the Philadelphia 76ers, the possibility of Bronny joining him at Philly seems less certain. The Athletic’s Dan Woike previously reported that the assumption that the two would continue playing together should be dismissed.
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With another father-son chapter potentially on hold, the idea of seeing Bronny face his father as an opponent has sparked an interesting theory.
Simmons recently read a mailbag question suggesting that an Eastern Conference contender could trade for Bronny specifically to have him on the roster when facing the four-time champion in the playoffs.
“No way he’s looking to embarrass his son,” Simmons said. “This is really good. I would have a lot of trouble embarrassing my son in front of a crowd of 20,000 people at a nationally televised game.”
Bill Simmons read a mailbag question on an East contender trading for Bronny James to guard LeBron James in the playoffs. via r/nba pic.twitter.com/7rT5IUnyE9
— Courtside News (@Daily__Hoops) August 25, 2026
Joe House, who is Simmons’ longtime friend and frequently joins him in “The Ringer” podcast, suggested the Cleveland Cavaliers as a potential destination for Bronny.
Simmons agreed, explaining why the move could give Cleveland an unusual advantage against LeBron.
“So if you’re Cleveland, you would go, you trade like a minimum for Bronny, bring him back,” he continued. “Bronny is on the team, and now he’s just kind of lurking, almost like a kryptonite situation for LeBron. Put him on there, and LeBron just has to naturally. That’s your parent. You naturally have to ease up. Your instinct is always to protect your kids at all times. I think it’s a great idea.”
Cleveland was previously involved in LeBron’s pursuit, with The Athletic’s Joe Vardon even speculating that James could bring his son, Bronny, with him if he returned to the Cavaliers for a second stint.
Instead, the league’s all-time leading scorer ultimately chose Philadelphia, where he is set to join Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown.
