When LeBron James confirmed he was joining the Philadelphia 76ers, the first thought for many hoops fans was what happens next with Bronny James? Does the young Los Angeles Laker pack his bags and join his father in the City of Brotherly Love? After all, the father-son duo was seen as a package deal when the ex-USC standout entered the league.
It's not totally clear what's next for Bronny. But the whole "package deal" theory has been debunked by the family agent, Rich Paul. LeBron James' famous agent sent a message to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne to make it clear.
As for the impact of LeBron James’ decision on his son Bronny James, Rich Paul, the agent for both tells ESPN that "they are not a package deal" and there's no current plan or request for Bronny Janes to join his father in Philly.Â
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) July 24, 2026
Bronny James recently had his contract…
Bronny James remains a Laker
Heading into his third NBA season, James had a deadline in place for his third-year salary. The Lakers had to guarantee the $2.2 million, or else James could be hitting the open market earlier than expected. While Bronny will stick with the Lakers for the time being, there's still a chance they could move him via trade.
When it comes to the Sixers, I wouldn't totally rule out a trade for young Bronny. If LeBron James wants his son in the building, I'm sure the President of Basketball Operations, Mike Gansey, would listen and try to make it happen. However, there aren't any indications that LeBron is working on getting the 22-year-old to his new team.
It's a good time to move on
There's been some heavy debate about Bronny's status in the NBA over the past couple of years. Many believe that he wouldn't be on a roster, on a standard deal, if he wasn't LeBron James Jr. With the 41-year-old forward going to the Eastern Conference to play with the Sixers, the 2026-2027 NBA season will be a good opportunity for Bronny to prove that he belongs, without the father-son storyline serving as a distraction in LA.
As a rookie, Bronny appeared in 27 games for the Lakers. Seeing the court for just 6.7 minutes per game, he struggled with his shot, making just 31.3% from the field. James produced 2.3 points per game. In his second season, James appeared in 42 games. He improved his shot by making 40.9% of his attempts from the field. Bronny averaged 2.9 points per game.
After making the upcoming $2.2 million in 2026-2027, Bronny will have a team option looming for the 2027-2028 NBA season. The Lakers (or another team, if traded) will have an opportunity to accept or decline the $2.4 million salary for the season.
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