NBA Exec: Drafting Bronny James May 'Significantly' Improve Odds of Signing LeBron

At least one NBA executive still thinks LeBron James' future is connected to his son.

The executive spoke to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto and said drafting Bronny James could "significantly "improve" the possibility of signing LeBron James in free agency.

"You have to have the conversation internally, especially if you're a team in the West because if you can improve your chances of landing LeBron, it could significantly improve your chances," the exec said.

The idea of pairing LeBron James and his eldest son is nothing new. The Los Angeles Lakers star previously stated his goal was to finish his NBA career playing alongside Bronny, who spent one year in college at USC.

However, LeBron James has since pulled back from those initial comments.

"The idea of them playing together is not a priority. It's not foremost, at least any longer, in LeBron James' mind," ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier this month. "Rich Paul's goal here in the pre-draft process for Bronny James is to see if there's the right developmental organization, a place that can take a young player like Bronny James … If he does go in the draft, he very likely would spend next year in the G League.

"That's the priority for them as a family. What's best for Bronny James? If it ends up them together, that would be great, but I don't get a sense it's playing much of any role in LeBron James' decision on next season."

Bronny James, for his part, said he wants teams to view him separately from his MVP father.

"Bronny was just a nickname that I was just given when I was younger," Bronny James said at the NBA combine. "But everything that follows my dad, people just try to link me with that and all the greatness that he's achieved. I haven't done anything yet, so I feel like there needs to be that divide between Bronny and LeBron.

"Everyone's heard this before. I just want to have people know my name is Bronny James and not being identified as just LeBron James' son. I feel like that would great."

Bronny James averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 36.6 percent from the field last season. He did not play until December after undergoing surgery for a congenital heart condition that was uncovered when he went into cardiac arrest last July.