Lakers Fully Guarantee Bronny James’ 2026-27 Contract
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The Los Angeles Lakers have opted to fully guarantee Bronny James’ $2,296,271 salary for the 2026-27 season, keeping the third-year guard on the roster rather than waiving him ahead of the June 29 deadline.
Prior to Tuesday’s decision, only $1,258,873 of James’ deal was protected. Releasing him would have created roughly $1 million in additional cap space, a figure the front office determined was not significant enough to offset the value of continuing his development.
James, 21, appeared in 42 games during his sophomore campaign, averaging 2.9 points and 1.2 assists in 8.9 minutes. He shot 40.9 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from three-point range, showing noticeable improvement after limited action as a rookie. Injuries to Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves opened playoff minutes for the 6-foot-4 guard, who held steady in those postseason appearances.
The Lakers already project to have the league’s largest amount of cap room when free agency opens on June 30. Guaranteeing James’ contract allows the organization to retain a young contributor without materially affecting that flexibility.
The fourth and final year of James’ rookie deal is a $2.5 million team option for 2027-28. Los Angeles can choose to pick up or decline that option next summer.
LeBron James’ future remains uncertain, and the possibility of the four-time MVP re-signing with the Lakers would extend the father-son pairing for at least one more season. Should LeBron depart—Golden State is reportedly interested—Los Angeles could revisit Bronny’s status, including potential trade scenarios.
Source: LakersNation.com
