The Los Angeles Lakers know that they will trade Bronny James.
At least, that's what it seems like when you look down the line from their most recent move. On Monday, it was announced that the Lakers have agreed to terms on a one-year, minimum deal with veteran defensive stopper Matisse Thybulle.
On the surface, the move is a fine one. Thybulle is a really good wing defender whose reputation is a little better than he actually is defensively. He will be a fine addition to the bench. He has built up his 3-point shot over the years, but he also takes so few of them that he will largely not be guarded on the perimeter. He may be better than a minimum player, and he absolutely fits a need as someone who can defend the ball, but he isn't a world beater.
That the Lakers chose to use a roster spot on Thybulle gives a clear signal that someone else on the roster is not expected to hang around. The former Portland wing gives the Lakers 16 players on guaranteed contracts. During the offseason, a team can have up to 21 players on the roster, but once the season arrives, they can only have 15.
The Lakers need to move someone
Someone, then, will need to be off the team. They could merely waive a player, and that is their backup option for sure, but doing so would lock that player's salary onto their books. If they instead traded a player away, they could clear that contract entirely.
There are a few approaches for the Lakers to take. They could try to find a team willing to take on Dalton Knecht's salary to take a chance on the failed shooter; that may or may not be possible. They could also pay a team in draft capital to take on the contract of Jarred Vanderbilt, the Lakers' last attempt to find that defensive swiss army knife that they hope Thybulle can be. Perhaps they find a deal to trade both.
The most likely path to get down to 15, however, is to trade Bronny James -- and trade him to whatever team LeBron James Sr. chooses in free agency.
The Lakers may be planning on a Bronny James trade
Bronny James is a player clearly outside of JJ Redick's rotation, even more so with the signing of Thybulle. He is also on what is essentially a minimum contract, making him relatively easy to trade to any team that wants him.
Which team would want him? Short of one of LeBron's suitors preemptively trading for Bronny to try and convince his father to join them, he will be on ice until LeBron announces his decision. At that point, the Lakers may be banking on that team trading for Bronny for another reunion.
In fact, given LeBron's history with Rob Pelinka and the organization and their track record of keeping things under wraps (Luka Doncic being Exhibit No. 1), they may already know which team LeBron is choosing and have a trade in place. Or they have checked in with multiple potential teams about the possibility of trading Bronny.
Confidently going to 16 players signals that they have a plan -- and the Bronny plan, while perhaps not certain, is likely their top one. Once LeBron the elder makes his decision, it may be that the younger is soon to follow -- giving the Lakers the roster balance that they need.
Thybulle in, Bronny out. That's probably the plan.
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