LeBron James’ desire to play in the NBA with his son Bronny has once again made news after a social media post by the legendary superstar.
On ESPN’s “Get Up” program on Thursday, Brian Windhorst spoke about the elder James “really, really” wanting to team up with his son.
“He has gone back and forth on this,” said Windhorst. “… He really, really wants this to happen.”
In a recent 2024 NBA mock draft, ESPN projected the younger James to be selected in the first round by the Atlanta Hawks. The elder James then said he’d pull up to Atlanta if the Hawks were to draft his son, which caught the attention of Hawks star Trae Young.
The elder James’ feelings about potentially playing with his son are nothing new. Those feelings could potentially see the future Hall of Famer leave the Lakers to make that situation a reality.
The final year of the elder James’ two-year extension he signed in 2022 holds a player option that would pay him $51.4 million for the 2024-25 season.
Despite that eye-popping amount, the 19-time All-Star is seemingly intent on making history by playing with his eldest son. That could conceivably occur with the Lakers, given the uncertainties of the NBA draft.
However, since the elder James offered his thoughts on the matter, speculation has been rampant about exactly where the younger James will be selected. Some early scouting reports indicated that the younger James might not be taken until the second round.
Yet, there are also rumors that some teams with lower first-round picks might be compelled to take the younger James regardless of any scouting reports.
Having lasted 20 seasons in the NBA, the elder James’ remaining time in the league might be a question mark for some teams. However, his continued production would seemingly negate any concerns about a player who would be turning 40 years old during the 2024-25 campaign.
Young’s interaction with the elder James offers an interesting take, considering some rumors that have spoken about the guard’s future with the Hawks. One of those rumors discussed a possible trade to the Lakers.
Right now, the elder James’s comments late last month about retirement figure to be forgotten. Meanwhile, the younger James is set to begin his collegiate career at the University of Southern California.
Until next year’s draft, all types of speculation will continue to emerge. For now, the ultimate destination of the younger James is something that figures to be watched closely.
