Former NBA champion Channing Frye was getting very candid with fans on the latest episode of Road Trippin‘. Apart from dismissing the new look Lakers as contenders, he has shut down any lingering hopes that LeBron James will stay in the league long enough to share an NBA court with his youngest son, Bryce James. While Bronny had that privilege, Bryce is still content to play in college, and LeBron likely doesn’t want to change that anytime soon.

Addressing fan questions on a recent segment of the Road Trippin’ podcast, the former Cleveland Cavaliers star and close friend of LeBron poured cold water on the idea of a second father-son duo taking the floor before the 41-year-old superstar eventually calls it a career.

One of the show’s fans asked whether LeBron, who recently signed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, could remain in the league long enough to play alongside Bryce, perhaps even forming a trio with Bronny James. Frye gave a blunt assessment of both LeBron’s remaining timeline and Bryce’s current NBA readiness.

“No. Uh, no,” Frye said regarding the possibility of LeBron playing with Bryce. “I think that is done and done. Three more years? Lord, 45 and playing basketball? Like, he’s playing too much golf right now. I think he got one and a half maybe, I don’t know right now. Bryce is an NBA player? Maybe he will be in three years, but I don’t know right now. But he’s got to get out there and play and show the world.”

By Frye’s estimate, Bryce has three more years of college ball, and LeBron has two in the NBA, if not less. So the NBA’s first father-son trio, the James family, is not happening.

Bryce James committed to play college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats under head coach Tommy Lloyd.

While LeBron expressed excitement about his son joining the “Bear Down” community, he jokingly jabbed at his former Cavs teammates, Road Trippin’ hosts, and Arizona alumni, Channing Frye and Richard Jefferson, calling them “terrible friends” who might be a questionable influence in Tucson.

When Bryce committed to Arizona, LeBron clearly said, “It was his decision to make, and he went where he felt comfortable,” yet hilariously added, “Got some terrible friends in Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye that are alum there, so not too excited about that, but other than that we’re excited to go be part of the Tucson community.”

Despite the lighthearted banter between former teammates, Frye’s sober assessment highlights the harsh reality of LeBron’s advancing age and the physical toll of his legendary career.

While LeBron famously made history alongside Bronny James, expecting him to stretch his career another three years to wait for Bryce appears increasingly unrealistic.

Frye’s comments come during an offseason in which he has remained openly skeptical about the Western Conference landscape and the overall makeup of the Los Angeles Lakers following Bron’s exit and the massive overhaul around Luka Doncic, which also features Bronny James.

Placing the Lakers eighth in his West projections, Frye argued that relying on an aging core while trying to build around Luka Doncic presents a steep hill to climb.

It might be why he thinks Bryce needs to focus on his own development in college instead of rushing to join LeBron in the big leagues.