The flames surrounding LeBron James' burning desire to leave the Los Angeles Lakers are quickly being cooled. One overlooked aspect of why it would not make sense for the all-time great to leave Los Angeles right now is Bronny James.
Dan Woike and Joe Vardon of The Athletic teamed up on Wednesday morning to challenge some of the existing narratives around the fractures between James and the Lakers. There were plenty of dismissals regarding recent topics.
The duo made it clear there was no trade request in the works, and there was certainly no buyout coming for LeBron and Los Angeles. The expectation that Woike and Vardon made clear was for James to be at training camp for the Lakers.
One piece of intel that could have easily been lost in the shuffle came towards the end of the write-up. Bronny is thriving at NBA Summer League, which could make him a key piece for the Lakers in 2025-26. With that development, would LeBron not want to see this situation play out?
Bronny James' growth makes it easier for LeBron James to stay
Woike and Vardon pointed back to a quote from last season when the older James called the achievement of playing with his son the top one of his legendary career. The Lakers duo could take things one step further this season.
Bronny has shown encouraging signs of growth with every game of the Summer League experience. The time for the younger James to deliver is now and the Lakers guard certainly knows what needs to be done for him to earn a spot in the 2025-26 rotation.
In the Lakers' last matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers, Bronny caught everyone's attention. The 20-year-old guard finished the game with 17 points, five rebounds, and five assists, shooting 6-of-10 from the field and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.
The Clippers won the game 67-58, but the encouraging performance from James could not be ignored. The defense is indeed what will get Bronny on the court, but being able to pair that with adequate offense will keep him there.
Bronny tells @autumnjohnsontv what the @Lakers coaching staff has challenged him with in year 2:
"Being a pest on the defense end... they just want me to come out and be myself." 🔒💯 pic.twitter.com/9A4kJgFKOM
— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 15, 2025
Woike and Vardon wrote, "One of the biggest reasons for James to stay played well on the court."
If Bronny can continue to prove why the young guard not only belongs on an NBA team, but as a part of the rotation, whatever decisions LeBron may have left to make will grow easier. Quite frankly, they may become an afterthought altogether.
It's one thing to have Bronny check into a game just to get the father-son spectacle out of the way. It's a whole different situation to have both James on the court as a nightly expectation. The latter would be a tough experience to pass on for LeBron.