Guest of the League
From Downtown
Slam Dunk - $ - Preseason | NBA Week 3

Lakers second-rounder Bronny James gets rare guaranteed contract

Tue Jul 2 12:53pm ET
Field Level Media

With LeBron James expected back for his 22nd season, the Los Angeles Lakers are breaking NBA norms by guaranteeing the rookie contract for second-round pick Bronny James.

Bronny James, drafted 55th overall, and first-round pick Dalton Knecht were introduced by the Lakers on Tuesday.

Typically, contracts for second-round draft picks aren't guaranteed.

The Athletic reported Bronny James is signing a multiyear contract and will start his career on the Lakers' roster.


LeBron James declined his option for 2024-25 but is expected to re-sign with the Lakers. According to reports, the hold up in signing LeBron is the Lakers' mission to add another experienced veteran. ESPN reported LeBron told general manager Rob Pelinka he would take less money if Los Angeles can sign a quality free agent, such as DeMar DeRozan.

Bronny James, a guard, played 25 games in college at Southern California after suffering cardiac arrest during a summer workout last July. He was seen as a fringe second-round pick and was highly expected to join his future Hall of Fame father in Los Angeles.

Bronny James, 19, had private workouts with only the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns before the draft.

Pelinka said in a statement, "In the history of the NBA, there's never been a father and a son that have shared an NBA basketball court and that feels like something that could be magical. We know, and have to respect of course, that LeBron has a decision (due by Saturday) on his opt-out ... but if it worked out that he was on our team next season, NBA history could be made. And NBA history should be made in a Lakers uniform."

The Lakers' other superstar, Anthony Davis, endorsed the club selecting his teammate's son.

"He's very good defensively," Davis said of Bronny James to ESPN. "He can read the floor very well. I think he's a really good playmaker. I saw him work out a couple times besides the (Klutch Sports) pro day and working with a big -- his reads, reading the defense, making the right passes -- that was really impressive to me. I think he's going to be fine, man. Obviously it's a lot of pressure on him with his dad being who he is."

Player Notes
Josh Giddey Mon Nov 4 1:00pm

Chicago Bulls guard/forward Josh Giddey (illness) popped up on the team's injury report early Monday afternoon with a non-COVID illness. At the moment, he's listed as probable, so they're expecting him to still suit up. His status should be monitored though in case he doesn't feel well when it gets closer to tip-off. If Giddey has to watch from the sidelines, Coby White will likely get some more on-ball duties while Ayo Dosunmu could move into the starting five.

Khris Middleton Mon Nov 4 1:00pm

Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (ankle) will miss another game as he rehabs from ankle surgery in the off-season. This doesn't come as surprising news as there haven't been many updates on his injury status in practice lately. While he remains out, Gary Trent Jr. and Taurean Prince continue to see big minutes with the starting five. The Bucks fell to 1-5 to start the year though, so they'll be looking forward to inserting Middleton into the lineup when he's ready.

Immanuel Quickley Mon Nov 4 12:50pm

Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (pelvis) still doesn't seem ready to take the court after suffering a pelvic injury in the season opener. On Monday, and before their last game, Quickley is considered doubtful to re-join the team. Fantasy managers can continue to go with their plan B. Gradey Dick, Ochai Agbaji, and Davion Mitchell have all been solid streaming options, but the former two have been better in shallower leagues.

Kevin Huerter Mon Nov 4 12:50pm

Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter (illness) left the team's shootaround session early on Monday and is still considered questionable for the game against the Miami Heat. He was forced to watch from the sidelines during their last game against the Raptors, and it seems that he's not fully recovered from his illness just yet. If he has to remain sidelined for another game, Malik Monk, Keon Ellis, and Doug McDermott will all see added opportunities.

Austin Reaves Mon Nov 4 12:40pm

Los Angeles Lakers forward Austin Reaves (ankle) is expected to play on Monday against the Detroit Pistons despite being listed with a sprained ankle. The 26-year-old hasn't missed a game yet this year and has provided a high-quality scoring punch from the wing. He's a starter in any fantasy format as he's averaging 17.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.3 steals, and 2.2 threes per game to start the year. Since he's expected to suit up, he should remain a fantasy starter.

D'Angelo Russell Mon Nov 4 12:40pm

Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell (foot) has received a probable tag on Monday and should be able to suit up against the Detroit Pistons. The veteran combo guard was listed with a right foot contusion which seems like it's not too severe to keep him off the floor. He'll continue in his starting spot along with the usual starting five as Austin Reaves (ankle) and Anthony Davis (hip) are also considered probable. Russell has been a solid option for points, assists, and threes in category leagues.

Lauri Markkanen Mon Nov 4 12:40pm

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (back) is still dealing with lower back spasms and has received a questionable tag ahead of Monday's tip-off with the Chicago Bulls. The star wing has missed the team's last two contests, so getting him back into the lineup would do wonders for their chances to grab a win. Markkanen has dealt with a lot of injury issues over the last few seasons and the Jazz haven't rushed him back, so he could miss another game to err on the cautious side. If he doesn't suit up, John Collins and Kyle Filipowski will see added minutes.

De'Anthony Melton Mon Nov 4 12:30pm

Golden State Warriors guard De'Anthony Melton (back) will have to miss his fourth game in a row while dealing with a strained lower back. The two-way guard experienced a lot of back issues last season with the 76ers, and it caused him to miss more games than he played. Hopefully, the strain isn't too severe and he can return to the court soon. In the meantime, Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, and Buddy Hield have seen added opportunities. If Stephen Curry (ankle) returns, however, they wouldn't be the strongest streaming candidates.

Kyle Kuzma Mon Nov 4 12:20pm

Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (groin) has been ruled out for a third consecutive game as he continues to deal with a right groin strain. There hasn't been a firm timetable for his return and the Wizards likely won't rush him back as they give some of their younger prospects extended time on the court. Alexandre Sarr has spent some extra time with the starting five along with Bilal Coulibaly and Marvin Bagley III has seen a few opportunities off of the bench. The former two have served as better streaming options.

Caris LeVert Mon Nov 4 12:20pm

Cleveland Cavaliers guard/forward Caris LeVert (knee) is suffering from some knee soreness which has made him questionable to go up against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday. The 30-year-old missed the team's last matchup with the Bucks for the same reason, so it's unclear if he'll be able to give it a go or not at the moment. If he's unable to suit up again, Isaac Okoro should see extended minutes off of the bench along with Sam Merrill.

Andrew Wiggins Mon Nov 4 12:10pm

Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (back) is expected to play on Monday against the Washington Wizards. The veteran wing has received a probable status while dealing with a lower back strain that kept him out of two games. He was, however, able to play 31 minutes in their last contest against the Houston Rockets. If Stephen Curry (ankle) doesn't suit up, Wiggins will likely take on a bigger offensive workload again.

Jamal Murray Sun Nov 3 11:30pm

Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray (concussion) is listed as out for Monday night's matchup against the Toronto Raptors. Murray sustained a concussion in Friday night's playoff rematch against the Minnesota Timberwolves and missed Saturday night's game against the Utah Jazz. With Murray going through concussion protocol, it wouldn't be surprising to see him miss more time to allow a proper amount of time to heal. In his absence, expect the Nuggets to start veteran Russell Westbrook in his place. Westbrook has gotten off to a rocky start with Denver, scoring more than six points just twice this season. Westbrook could be a decent fantasy option for those looking for help with assists, but in most formats he will not be a reliable option until proven otherwise.

Rudy Gobert Sun Nov 3 11:20pm

Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (ankle) is listed as questionable for Monday night's matchup against the Charlotte Hornets. Gobert is dealing with a left-ankle sprain. The 32-year-old has yet to miss any action this season, averaging 10.8 points and 10.3 rebounds to start 2024. With a matchup against the Hornets on deck, it wouldn't be surprising if the Timberwolves gave Gobert a little extra time to heal his ankle if it's serious. Otherwise, fantasy managers should expect Gobert to get the start on Monday. If he is ruled out, though, expect Naz Reid to get the start at center. Reid is averaging 13.7 points and 6.2 rebounds off the bench and should be targeted in all fantasy formats, regardless of whether he's coming off the bench or not.

Bradley Beal Sun Nov 3 11:20pm

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (elbow) is listed as questionable for Monday night's matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers. Beal is dealing with a right elbow sprain that's kept him out of one game this season, though he was able to play in Phoenix's most recent game on Saturday. Given that he started in Saturday night's game it should be considered likely for Beal to play on Monday night even with the questionable tag. However, if the 31-year-old isn't able to play, expect Ryan Dunn to get the start. Dunn has averaged 7.8 PPG this season but has scored 13 points and 16 points in his two starts in Beal's place this season. Beal should be considered a must start in all fantasy formats if he gets the start. If Dunn gets another start he should be considered a solid option in all fantasy formats and would be a very sneaky play in DFS formats.

Zach LaVine Sun Nov 3 11:10pm

Chicago Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine (hip) is listed as questionable for Monday night's game against the Utah Jazz. LaVine is dealing with a right adductor strain. The 29-year-old has yet to miss any games this season, though he was listed as questionable going into Friday night's game against the Nets with a shoulder injury. LaVine has averaged 22.7 PPG to start the season and if he were to miss any time it'd be a big blow to the Bulls. If LaVine is ruled out on Monday then expect Ayo Dosunmu to get the start at guard. Dosunmu is already averaging over 26 minutes per game off the bench and has made quite a few spot starts for Chicago in the past. His production should rise, as should Coby White's numbers in LaVine's potential absence.

Stephen Curry Sun Nov 3 10:50pm

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (ankle) is listed as questionable for Monday night's game against the Washington Wizards. Curry has been dealing with an ankle sprain that has kept him out of the team's last three games. The questionable mark is a step in the right direction for the 36-year-old and the Warriors, who are off to a 5-1 start. With the lowly Wizards on deck, it may not be a shock to see the Warriors let Curry rest his ankle a little longer before their next game on Wednesday against the Boston Celtics. If he does start, he is obviously a must start in all formats. If not, expect Brandin Podziemski to get another start. Podziemski has put up 14.7 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 6.0 APG while starting in Curry's place. Podziemski should be on all fantasy managers' radars and would make a sneaky DFS play if he gets the start on Monday.

Anthony Davis Sun Nov 3 10:50pm

Los Angeles Lakers center Anthony Davis (hip) is listed as active for the Lakers' matchup on Monday night against the Detroit Pistons. This is the second game that Davis has appeared on the Lakers' injury report this season but neither time has resulted in him missing any games. Lakers fans and fantasy managers alike have to be thrilled with his early season production, averaging 31.8 PPG and 12.0 RPG to start the season. AD will look to continue his hot start to the season against the Pistons, who are going to be at a rest disadvantage playing on the second leg of a back-to-back. Davis is a must start in all fantasy formats on Monday.

Jaylen Brown Sun Nov 3 10:40pm

Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (hip) is listed as out for Monday night's game against the Atlanta Hawks. Brown has been dealing with a left hip flexor strain that caused him to miss Friday night's game against the Charlotte Hornets. Brown has averaged 25.7 PPG and 7.2 RPG to start the season so a bit of production will be left off the table with his absence. In Saturday night's game against the Charlotte Hornets the Celtics inserted Al Horford into the starting lineup. Expect Horford to get another start on Monday against his former team, who will be on a rest advantage on the second leg of a back-to-back. Horford has averaged 7.7 PPG to start the season and may not be a great fantasy option on Monday night as he didn't score in his spot start on Saturday.

Joel Embiid Sun Nov 3 10:30pm

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) is listed as out for Monday night's game against the Phoenix Suns. His status comes as no surprise given Philadelphia's extra-cautious approach with the 30-year-old's health. Embiid's recovery from a knee injury sustained in January 2024 has taken much longer than anticipated to fully recover from, leading to the extra cautious approach that resulted in a $100,000 fine for the organization. It's also led to intense criticism from the Philadelphia media which sparked an altercation between Embiid and a reporter in the locker room after Saturday night's loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. While Embiid's timeline to the court has yet to be released, Philadelphia desperately needs the former MVP's dominating presence to return. Until then, fantasy managers should target Andre Drummond for a center who will bring tremendous value from a rebounding perspective.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Sun Nov 3 10:20pm

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (groin) is listed as questionable for Monday night's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Antetokounmpo is dealing with a right-adductor sprain that he appears to have sustained during Saturday's game against Cleveland. The Greek Freak has yet to miss any games this season while also dealing with other injuries, but fantasy managers will still want to monitor his status going into Monday night's game. Antetokounmpo has averaged 31.0 points, 12.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists this season and is a must-start in all formats if active. If he is out on Monday, expect Bobby Portis to pick up the extra minutes.


Rotate for more data.