LeBron James hints at where Bronny will play in 2026-27 NBA season amid Lakers trade rumors

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LeBron James has to decide where he's going to sign as a free agent to play the 2026-27 NBA season.

Once that happens, there'll be a firestorm of curiosity about what will happen with James' son, Bronny, who is under contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Much of the speculation has suggested that Bronny will be traded to wherever LeBron signs. That's far from a given, though.

And on Thursday during an interview, LeBron referred to Bronny as his "former teammate":

"I have an almost 22-year-old son who is now my former teammate, which is hilarious." -- LeBron, to Rich Kleiman at CNBC/Boardroom's Game Plan Summit.

— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) July 16, 2026

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This could just be LeBron playing along with the whole saga.

But it could also be dad letting the world subtly know that his son won't be following him to his next stop.

From a developmental standpoint, it could certainly benefit Bronny to stay put in a system and team that he knows. He improved from his rookie season to year two, and there could be more growth to come.

It would also be a better look for Bronny's future outlook if he wasn't just brought to another team because his dad went there.

It's a secondary element to whatever happens with LeBron, and certainly not as important in an on-court impact than in what the 41-year old all-time great decides to do.

But it bears watching what happens with Bronny, and maybe his dad just gave us all a signal that his eldest son is staying put.