NBA Rumors: Rich Paul Worked to Dispel Belief LeBron Will Follow Bronny After Draft

The agent for LeBron James has "made an effort" to play down the idea the Los Angeles Lakers star would be a package deal with son Bronny this offseason, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Bronny James is expected to stay in the 2024 NBA draft pool. Appearing on Get Up, Windhorst said Rich Paul has in recent months has indicated behind the scenes that selecting Bronny doesn't guarantee LeBron will sign with that team.

LeBron on multiple occasions has stated his goal of teaming up with Bronny in the NBA.

"My last year will be played with my son," he told The Athletic's Jason Lloyd in 2022. "Wherever Bronny is at, that's where I'll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year. It's not about the money at that point."

That has led many to wonder whether James, who can opt out of his contract with the Lakers, would follow his son to whatever franchise he joined this summer.

The four-time NBA MVP began to strike a somewhat different tone following the conclusion of the 2022-23 season, though. He said in May 2023 that playing on the same team as his dad may not be a goal for Bronny and he'd be "absolutely OK with that."

Now, LeBron appears to be further distancing himself toward his original plan. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported in April on NBA Today "the idea of them playing together is not a priority; it's not foremost, at least any longer, in LeBron James' mind."

Of course, LeBron and Bronny could wind up sharing an NBA locker room for the upcoming season. Windhorst said on Get Up that targeting Bronny won't be a top priority for the Lakers, but they could take him if the right opportunity presents itself late in the draft.

Windhorst and Wojnarowski's reporting basically points to the notion that Bronny's landing spot could be one factor in LeBron's final decision; it won't be the factor, however.