The future of third-year guard Bronny James with the Los Angeles Lakers became murky the minute his father, LeBron James, decided to bolt as a free agent. The level of uncertainty has only heightened since the Lakers signed Zaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle over the past week or so.
With the addition of the two wing defenders, the Lakers now have 16 guaranteed roster spots for the 2026–27 season and will need to trade or waive at least one player to reach the 15-man limit. The following Lakers trade idea would ship out four players in exchange for two — both of whom have ties to the Lakers and to Luka Doncic.
3-Team Lakers Trade Idea
Lakers would receive: PJ Washington, Max Christie
Cavaliers would receive: Bronny James (via TMLE)
Mavericks would receive: Jarred Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia, Dalton Knecht, 2023 second-round pick (via SAC)
The trade would allow the Lakers to reunite with Max Christie, a player who flashed a lot of potential before being moved to the Dallas Mavericks as part of the Doncic trade. Furthermore, the move would reunite Doncic with P.J. Washington — who played a key role in helping the Mavericks reach the 2024 NBA Finals.
Although Washington’s contract — which runs through 2028-29 — has been deemed risky by some insiders, the Lakers may have to bite the bullet in order to dump four players, including Bronny, and fill out the roster properly entering the new season. In Washington and Christie, the Lakers will acquire two 3-and-D players that can come off the bench or even start for JJ Redick’s team.
As for the Mavericks, the trade helps them offload Washington’s contract and go forward with their youth movement, while sacrificing Christie in the process.
The Cavaliers, meanwhille, will amplify their chances of signing LeBron James by landing Bronny. On the surface, the trade could be a win for all three teams.
Will Lakers Trade Bronny?
The Lakers may have no option but to waive or trade Bronny James after the signings of Thybulle and Williams. As of Tuesday, they had 16 roster spots filled up for next season.
- Luka Doncic
- Austin Reaves
- Adou Thiero
- Bronny James
- Jarred Vanderbilt
- Cameron Carr
- Walker Kessler
- Quentin Grimes
- Jaden Hardy
- Dalton Knecht
- Kevon Looney
- Jake LaRavia
- Sandro Mamukelashvili
- Collin Sexton
- Ziaire Williams
- Matisse Thybulle
It seems unlikely that the Lakers will move on from Thiero or Carr, their two draft picks in the last two seasons, who flashed serious upside during the Summer League.
As such, the players most likely on the chopping block are Bronny, Jaden Hardy, Dalton Knecht, Jake LaRavia and Jarred Vanderbilt.
According to The Athletic’s John Hollinger, Hardy may be the one to go, unless the Lakers take the drastic step of waiving and stretching Bronny’s expiring deal.
“…It would be an odd move for a team that just guaranteed James’s salary for 2026-27 a few weeks ago,” Hollinger wrote of the Lakers waiving Bronny James.
“It seems much more likely the Lakers would part ways with the unwanted $6 million contract of Jaden Hardy, if the team is unable to use it in a trade first.”
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