LeBron James 'Absolutely OK' If Bronny Doesn't Share Goal of Playing Together in NBA

After previously making playing alongside his son Bronny in the NBA a stated goal, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James softened his stance recently.

James and the Lakers were swept out of the Western Conference Finals by the Denver Nuggets on Monday, and according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, the 38-year-old said the following about Bronny following L.A.'s Game 3 loss on Saturday:

"I've done what I've had to do in this league, and my son is going to take his journey. And whatever his journey, however his journey lays out, he's going to do what's best for him. And as his dad, and his mom, Savannah, and his brother and sister, we're going to support him in whatever he decides to do. So, just because that's my aspiration or my goal, doesn't mean it's his. And I'm absolutely OK with that."

Bronny, who recently committed to play his college basketball at USC next season, could enter the NBA draft as soon as 2024.

Per McMenamin, LeBron was more steadfast about eventually being Bronny's teammate earlier in the season when in February he said, "I got to play with my boy."

The Lakers star's perspective seems to be changing, and it may not even be a guarantee that he returns for a 21st NBA campaign next season.

After getting swept by the Nuggets, LeBron said he has "a lot to think about" during the offseason, including whether he wants to keep playing. He was still as good as ever this season when healthy, averaging 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game during the regular season at the age of 38.

He missed a month of action after tearing a tendon in his foot in February, though, and admitted that it impacted his play the rest of the way.

Even so, LeBron and the Lakers went from being a play-in team to making it all the way to the Western Conference Finals, so someone as competitive as the veteran could feel like there is some unfinished business and the chance to be even better as a team next season.

Next season will also be huge for Bronny in that it will be his first and perhaps only year in college basketball.

LeBron's eldest son starred at Sierra Canyon School in Los Angeles and earned the right to be called one of the top recruits in the 2023 class.

According to 247Sports, the 18-year-old is a 5-star recruit and ranks as the No. 21 overall prospect and No. 5 combo guard in the nation for his class.

At 6'3" and 190 pounds, he is a much smaller and different player than his athletically gifted father, but he still has the potential to be a highly productive player in college and the NBA.

Per 247Sports scout Adam Finkelstein, Bronny excels as a three-point shooter and is an "engaged" defender on the perimeter.

If LeBron opts to return and play next season, he would then have a player option for 2024-25, meaning he could become a free agent at the same time Bronny potentially enters the draft.

LeBron could then pick and choose where he signs depending on which team drafts Bronny, provided that is something they both agree they want to do.

That would create unprecedented drama with teams possibly jockeying for position in order to land both father and son, but based on LeBron's recent comments, he won't force the issue if Bronny simply wants to carve out his own path.