Bronny James had to feel pretty good about his Los Angeles Lakers future when the deadline on fully guaranteeing his contract passed and that partially guaranteed $1.3 million became the full $2.3 million. One day later, LeBron James immediately stirred up uncertainty for him in Los Angeles.
James is leaving the Lakers. Rob Pelinka and the franchise got LeBron's blessing to move on and build without him on the team. Suddenly, the freshly guaranteed deal for Bronny no longer offered the same type of security and stability that it did just shortly before that decision.
The next question from here is abundantly obvious: Does Bronny follow LeBron to wherever his father ends up for the (presumed) last year of his career?
The answer to that remains unclear, for now. Dave McMenamin took a look at some of the biggest questions facing the Lakers after the start of their offseason overhaul. Naturally, the discussion of what happens with Bronny was bound to be included.
"Once LeBron makes his decision on his next team, there could be a subsequent move made with Bronny."
Whether Bronny James follows LeBron James will reveal itself soon
There was not a great deal of confidence in McMenamin's words when it came to offering a solidified prediction or sourced information. The could be in his statement clearly shows there is nothing truly concrete in terms of the expectations for what happens next with Bronny.
The ESPN reporter highlighted LeBron's consistent messaging about how meaningful playing with his son has been for the aging star. Those feelings have only grown based on the late-season stretch for the Lakers, according to McMenamin.
However, the Lakers insider also added that there are also strong relationships between Bronny and his current teammates. The young guard could easily bank on having those in Los Angeles while continuing to develop under JJ Redick.
Ultimately, the Lakers will have to do what is right for them. They are clearly retooling around Luka Doncic and the main question they will need to be asking themselves is whether the younger James fits in with that vision of the roster.
If the answer to that question is yes, the Lakers could easily justify continuing their partnership with Bronny. With the amount of draft capital surrendered to acquire Walker Kessler, the importance of guys like James, Adou Thiero, and Cameron Carr will only be heightened when it comes to the internal youth movement and player development that Los Angeles will have access to.
Bronny showed plenty of growth over his first few years in the NBA. Discarding him without a second thought is not a decision the Lakers should flirt with. Either the younger James remains in Los Angeles, or he gets the franchise draft capital in being shipped out to LeBron's next team.
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