LeBron James did not rush his decision. He first waited for the Los Angeles Lakers to settle Bronny James’ future. Once Monday’s deadline passed, Bronny’s partially guaranteed $1.3 million contract became a fully guaranteed $2.3 million deal. By Tuesday morning, LeBron packed his bags and bid farewell to LA. Now, the spotlight has inevitably shifted to one lingering question about Bronny’s future. Will the 21-year-old follow wherever his father ends up for the final laps of his NBA career?

ESPN’s Dave McMenamin’s report says: “Once LeBron makes his decision on his next team, there could be a subsequent move made with Bronny.” The insider’s statement does not indicate anything concrete about what’s next for Bronny James. However, if the Lakers retain the 21-year-old, despite his father’s exit, he would continue to develop under JJ Redick. In fact, the head coach has spent considerable time working with the USC product. Moreover, Bronny will get more time around veterans like Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

McMenamin also emphasized that sharing the court with Bronny has remained deeply important to LeBron throughout this stage of his career. “LeBron has spoken at length about how meaningful it has been to be teammates with his son, and those feelings only grew late last season when they shared the court in competitive games,” the ESPN insider stated.

In Game 3 of the first-round playoff game against the Houston Rockets, the father and son led a memorable dual salvo. LeBron scored five straight points, with Bronny following with five of his own. Their combined burst gave the Lakers 10 unanswered points, ensuring a healthy 3-0 series lead, which they eventually clinched. Earlier in May, James shed light on Bronny’s progress in his sophomore season and emphasized how difficult his son’s debut season was. “He’s made so many strides in his second year, and it resulted in him taking the moment,” the 41-year-old said on Mind The Game, which only strengthens McMenamin’s point about them potentially leaving together.

“It’s easy to think the James family would want that connection to continue,” he added. However, there isn’t enough evidence that the LA Lakers are considering moving on from Bronny James. Moreover, they might want to give him another chance next season following his progress in their 2025-26 run.

Bronny James’ improvement could prevent Lakers exit

James Jr. turned plenty of heads after a difficult rookie campaign. With Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic missing time through injuries during the 2026 postseason, JJ Redick handed the 21-year-old a bigger opportunity. Across eight playoff appearances, Bronny posted 12 points, 7 assists, and 3 rebounds. During the regular season, he featured in 42 NBA games, averaging 8.9 minutes. He also made the most of 14 G League appearances, putting up 15.6 points and 3.7 assists per game. Moreover, the road to this point demanded patience.

The Los Angeles Lakers selected LeBron James‘ eldest with the No. 55 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. After averaging 2.3 points, 0.7 rebounds, and 0.8 assists as a rookie, criticism followed quickly. However, what many failed to notice was that Bronny always played with caution after suffering cardiac arrest in the summer of 2023. That is exactly why every meaningful playoff minute carried extra weight for the James family. Lest readers forget, the father-son duo also raked in massive sales for the Lakers, with Bronny’s arrival setting historical rookie jersey sales records, with upwards of 500,000 units sold in 2024, generating over $50 million in revenue for the franchise. Letting two lucrative assets leave during a transition doesn’t scream business acumen.

Nevertheless, oddsmakers have already started linking Bronny James with the Golden State Warriors, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Miami Heat. However, no one knows what’s next for the rising star. Will he follow his father or stay rooted in LA?