After years of flirting with an expansion, the NBA is finally set to hold a vote at the Board of Governors meeting next week in New York, exploring adding teams exclusively in Las Vegas and Seattle. While the official decision might not come until next week, according to ESPN insider Shams Charania, “there is momentum for stakeholders to approve.” Should that be the case, the current teams will need to begin preparing for an expansion draft. This, of course, includes the Los Angeles Lakers, who, just like the rest of the teams, will have to pick eight players from their current roster to retain.

That’s because “the current rules allow teams to protect up to eight players in an expansion draft,” as reporter Kato Pariña pointed out. He was referencing past expansion draft rules that brought in the Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets) into the NBA in 2004.

The rest of the players? Well, they’ll be part of the draft.

That said, we all know that the Purple & Gold will secure the likes of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and maybe even LeBron James if he signs an extension. However, this means that the Lakers’ GM, Rob Pelinka, and the rest of the front office will have to decide the future of second-year guard Bronny James.

The 21-year-old star is on a four-year, $7.9 million rookie deal with the Purple and Gold. There’s no doubt that LeBron James’ eldest son has improved his shooting and handling this season. He’s shown considerable growth with the G League affiliate, South Bay Lakers, and is averaging 15.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.3 steals per game in South Bay. He’s doing so while shooting 54.6 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from beyond the arc.

In fact, according to LakersMuse, South Bay is 12-0 when Bronny plays.

However, while he’s impressed in the G League, Bronny hasn’t been able to translate those numbers into the NBA. In the 32 league games he played, he averaged just 2.1 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game.

Doncic, Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht, and Adou Thiero are the players who will have an active contract two seasons from now. Reaves is already being reported to ink a significant extension with LA as the team’s second scorer. Expect Luke Kennard, Jake LaRavia, Marcus Smart, and Jaxson Hayes to also stick around for the next few years on JJ Redick’s rotation.

Given the Lakers‘ roster, it’s hard to see the front office keeping Bronny if an expansion draft occurs. The new management would also want to build a win-now team, as their last championship was back in 2020. Nonetheless, while the possibility of an expansion might be a concern for Bronny, it might be a huge boost for his father’s long-time dream.

The NBA’s decision could help LeBron James achieve his long-time dream

As the league’s governors prepare to vote on the highly anticipated NBA expansion that will introduce two new teams, LeBron James is ready to realize his dream of owning an NBA franchise. If they decide to expand to Las Vegas and/or Seattle, James could use that opportunity to pursue owning shares in a Vegas basketball franchise at some point, as he has suggested in the past.

“It’s the best fanbase in the world,” James said in 2022. “I would love to bring a team here at some point. That would be amazing. I know Adam [Silver] is in Abu Dhabi right now, I believe. But he probably sees every single interview and transcript that comes through from NBA players. So, I want the team here, Adam.”

However, it’s easier said than done. Purchasing a sports team requires significant capital and time.

So, if James is really interested, he will have to free up funds (an anticipated $7-10 billion) and, most importantly, bid farewell to his playing days. Hanging up his boots currently might be the most difficult part for the Akron native, who is still averaging 21.3 points per game this season. According to Shams Charania, though, the two expansion franchises are set to begin play in the 2028-29 season.