In an appearance on ‘Up & Adams’ this week, The Athletic’s Shams Charania dropped a bombshell on LeBron James’ summer plans. Contrary to popular belief, Shams says that LeBron will not leave to join forces with his son this summer and that it will take some convincing before he’s willing to leave the Lakers.
“It would not surprise me in the coming weeks if a team does reach out to Rich Paul or anyone else around LeBron and says, ‘Hey if we draft Bronny James would you come as well?’ And the answer to that is going to be no as of right now. That’s not a given, it’s not something that’s going to be pre-ordained.”
Momentum has been building for months leading up to LeBron’s decision this summer. As an unrestricted free agent, James has complete control over his next chapter and it’s no secret that he was thinking of joining forces with his firstborn son, Bronny, before the end of his career.
After multiple comments about wanting to play with James Jr., it was assumed that LeBron would follow him to wherever he gets drafted this summer, even if it meant leaving the Lakers for good. But now, with Bronny on the verge of making the leap, it seems priorities have changed for both LeBron and his son.
What are the chances LeBron goes to whatever team Bronny is drafted to??? @ShamsCharania chimes in @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/xvjRT9zJWF
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) May 17, 2024
In the case of the 39-year-old superstar, the word is that he’s still got a few years left in him and he doesn’t want to waste it on some lottery team trying to develop their young guys. At least with the Lakers, LeBron can be on a team desperate to win now at all costs and they give him a chance to end his career the way he really wants: as an NBA champion.
The Future Is Unclear For Bronny
It’s been quite a journey for Bronny over the past year. After much hype around his college career, it began with a bang after suffering a cardiac arrest over the summer. While James was given a clean bill of health soon after, the whole ordeal interrupted his routine and it as some time before he returned to peak playing condition.
When Bronny started going at full strength, the world began to see flashes of greatness for the first time but it was clear that he was never going to be superstar material at 6’1″, James is already at a major disadvantage, and his stat line of 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game did not do much to generate excitement as a prospect.
This summer, after moving to the transfer portal, Bronny has opened all of the options available, including a return to college and joining the NBA as a 2024 draft pick. Currently, while James isn’t even considered an NBA prospect by some scouts, he’s projected to get called somewhere in the second round and quite possibly to the Lakers.
But no matter where he goes, James will have the weight of the world on his shoulders and everyone will be watching to compare and critique his game. So far, Bronny has handled the noise just fine and he seems more than comfortable in the limelight.
It seems LeBron has set this kid up for success at the highest level and his humility and maturity will translate well in the NBA, when/if he gets drafted.