LeBron James Calls Bronny His 'Former Teammate,' Fueling Speculation About His NBA Lakers Future Plans

LeBron James dropped a subtle hint this week about the future of his son, Bronny James, referring to him as his "former teammate" during a public appearance, a comment that has reignited speculation about whether the 21-year-old guard will remain with the Los Angeles Lakers or eventually join his father at whatever franchise he chooses in free agency.

James made the remark Thursday during an interview with Rich Kleiman at CNBC and Boardroom's Game Plan Summit. Speaking about his son, James said, "I have an almost 22-year-old son who is now my former teammate, which is hilarious." The comment, first flagged publicly by Associated Press basketball writer Tim Reynolds, quickly drew attention across NBA circles given the timing, as James continues to weigh his next destination as an unrestricted free agent.

James informed the Lakers earlier this month that he intends to play elsewhere for the 2026-27 season, ending an eight-year run with the franchise that included a championship in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Lakers governor Jeanie Buss addressed the departure in a statement at the time, calling James "one of the greatest athletes in history" and saying the organization would "always be thankful for his eight years with the Lakers." James responded on social media, writing that it had been "truly a honor" to wear the team's colors.

With James's own free agency still unresolved, much of the surrounding speculation has centered on what happens to Bronny, who remains under contract with the Lakers. The younger James was selected by Los Angeles in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft and has spent his first two professional seasons playing alongside his father, a pairing that made history as the first father-son duo to play together in an NBA game. With LeBron now departing, many around the league have assumed Bronny would eventually be traded to wherever his father signs, allowing the two to continue playing together.

That assumption, however, is far from settled. According to reporting from Dan Woike of The Athletic, league sources have pushed back on the idea that father and son are automatically linked going forward, noting that Bronny remains well-regarded within the Lakers organization and has continued participating in team activities, including the franchise's Las Vegas Summer League game and its veteran minicamp, even after his father's departure was confirmed. Woike's reporting specifically disputed the notion that Bronny's path forward is tied to LeBron's decision, citing league sources granted anonymity to discuss the organization's front-office strategy.

The Lakers have also taken concrete financial steps that suggest a level of continued investment in Bronny's development independent of his father's situation. Earlier this month, ahead of a deadline that would have allowed the team to waive him and only be responsible for a portion of his salary, Los Angeles instead chose to fully guarantee Bronny's $2.3 million contract for the 2026-27 season. That decision came even after LeBron had already informed the team of his intention to leave, a sequencing that some analysts have pointed to as evidence the Lakers view Bronny as a player worth developing on his own merits rather than simply as an extension of his father's presence on the roster.

Bronny's on-court performance has shown modest but real progress across his two NBA seasons. After appearing in 27 regular-season games as a rookie while shooting .313 from the field, .281 from three-point range and .786 from the free-throw line, he took a step forward in his second season, improving his shooting splits to .409 from the field, .386 from three and .857 at the free-throw line while appearing in 42 games. He also spent portions of both seasons with the Lakers' G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, as part of his development. Late in his second season, amid a wave of injuries across the roster, Bronny emerged as a rotation option off the bench, ultimately seeing meaningful minutes during the Lakers' playoff run, including a notable moment alongside his father during the team's postseason series against the Houston Rockets.

Not everyone in league circles shares the view that Bronny's future is fully decoupled from his father's decision. Some reports out of NBA circles during Summer League in Las Vegas suggested that many around the league still believe Bronny will ultimately follow LeBron to his next team, even if the Lakers have not committed to that outcome themselves. Because Bronny is not currently a free agent, any move to another franchise would most likely have to come via trade rather than a simple signing, given that his contract with Los Angeles remains fully guaranteed for the upcoming season.

There are also basketball-specific reasons some analysts believe Bronny could benefit from staying in Los Angeles regardless of where his father lands. Remaining within a system and organization he already knows, playing under continuity with the coaching staff and teammates who have overseen his development, could offer a more stable path for his continued growth than being traded into an unfamiliar situation purely because of his father's decision. Staying with the Lakers would also allow Bronny to continue building his own reputation as a player earning his opportunities independent of his father's shadow, rather than being viewed as someone who was simply brought along to a new team.

For now, LeBron's comment referring to Bronny as his "former teammate" remains open to interpretation. It could simply reflect James playing along with the ongoing speculation surrounding the situation, or it could be a subtle signal that he does not expect his son to join him at his next stop. Either way, the remark has added another layer of intrigue to an offseason already dominated by uncertainty over where the NBA's all-time leading scorer will play next, with Bronny's own path likely to become clearer only once his father makes his decision public.