Lakers Reportedly 'Very Open' to Drafting Bronny James to Play Alongside LeBron

The Lakers are "very open" to the idea of bringing LeBron James’ son, Bronny James, into the fold. At least, that’s the word from sources cited in a fresh update fromThe Athletic on Tuesday following the team's loss against the Nuggets.

Team sources are reported to have revealed this potential move to Shams Charania, Jovan Buha, and Sam Amick. As fans are well aware, the possibility of Bronny and LeBron playing on the same team would not only be a huge story for the league at large, but it would also mark a dream come true for the latter.

Back in January of last year, LeBron told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that he’s "got to be on the floor with Bronny." While he’d prefer this to happen a la Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. (the father-and-son duo both played for the Mariners), he said at the time that he was also open to the idea of playing on separate teams.

Tuesday, The Athletic reported that LeBron is currently expected to spend two more seasons with the Lakers, though Jeanie Buss and company are open to giving him the maximum three-year extension. LeBron will make an option decision for the next season by late June.

Earlier this month, Bronny, who played for USC at the college level, announced that he was entering the NBA Draft while also maintaining his college eligibility and entering the NCAA transfer portal.

"I’ve had a year with some ups and downs but all added to growth for me as a man, student, and athlete," Bronny said in a statement shared to Instagram.

As for the Lakers' season-ending Nuggets loss, and whether the game will ultimately end up being LeBron's last with the team, fans looking for direct confirmation one way or the other have been left empty-handed. When asked about the prospect after Monday night's game, LeBron said, simply, "I'm not gonna answer that."