Isaac Bonga was the darling of late-offseason buzz around the NBA during the summer of 2025. A strong individual and team run at EuroBasket 2025 showcased a guy who had grown as a two-way player. That started generating talks of a return to North America.
Marc Stein reported in 2025:Â "Bonga attracted interest from several NBA teams earlier this summer even before his EuroBasket exploits, but he committed to spending the 2025-26 season with Partizan Belgrade in Serbia after a concrete NBA offer failed to materialize."
Stein added that Bonga was expected to draw 'more serious interest' this year. Something that once felt inevitable has become an afterthought in 2026. The big European return that everyone was interested in with relation to this summer ended up being that of Mario Hezonja.
Bonga, who shined as a 3-and-D option at EuroBasket 2025, was understandably believed to be someone who could fit right in with Luka Doncic and this version of the Los Angeles Lakers. That popular thought of a Lakers reunion from 2025 is all but erased in 2026.
Isaac Bonga's momentum was quickly halted ahead of the 2026 summer
Great timing can often create opportunity. Bonga had it in 2025 when Germany won the EuroBasket competition.
The German wing secured the inaugural Best Defensive Player award for his role in helping guide his country to first place. Coupling that with his 9.9 points per game on 53.3 percent from the field and 45.2 percent from beyond the arc offered glimpses of a player who could be envisioned on an NBA floor again.
Bonga needed to build on that success during the 2025-26 season in the EuroLeague. That could have kept the momentum of an NBA return, possibly with the Lakers, going. Unfortunately for him, the campaign he delivered was underwhelming.
The drop-off as a 3-point shooter in 2025-26 was the main problem for Bonga. Offense was hard to come by during his NBA years. Any franchise that was interested needed to see reassuring evidence that aspect of his game would no longer be a problem.
EuroBasket 2025 created confidence in the idea of Bonga carving out the offensive niche that was necessary for him to find success. Returning to Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade deflated that thought.
Bonga's deep ball wavered in its effectiveness. The Partizan Belgrade forward only shot 31.0 percent from long range in the 2025-26 season. It was a step in the wrong direction and one that crushed his chances of an NBA return.
With the Lakers still on the hook for decreasing their roster count from 16 to 15, there is no reason to also have the added challenge of dropping to 14 for Bonga after his disappointing 2025-26 season. The German forward will remain overseas until further notice.
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