New Bronny James Trade Rumors on Lakers Future After LeBron Joins 76ers on 2-Year Contract

With LeBron James on his way to the Philadelphia 76ers, the question becomes whether his son will join him.

According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, agent Rich Paul said Bronny and the elder James are "not a package deal," and there isn't a plan for the young player to join the 76ers.

Before James made his decision, The Athletic's Dan Woike reported that the "assumptions that the father and son staying linked going forward are false," adding that Bronny is "well-liked" within the Lakers' locker room.

Front Office Sports' Alex Schiffer reported earlier this month that "multiple front office sources from teams in the mix for James said they have discussed acquiring Bronny should his father pick their team." Whether the Sixers were among that group is unclear.

Bronny, 21, appeared in half of the Lakers' games last season, putting up 2.9 points per game. He proved himself in many ways down the back stretch of the season amid injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves and even played valuable minutes in the team's first-round series against the Houston Rockets.

Clearly, the Lakers view Bronny as a legitimate NBA player and more than just someone they drafted because his father was on the team.

While still far from a starting-caliber player, Bronny has the makings of a potential key three-and-D player off the bench.

In the long term, it could be much more valuable for Bronny not to join his father in Philadelphia. Playing on a different team than his dad could give him the chance to prove his worth even more and get away from the nepotism allegations that many have cast on him early in his career.