Bronny James to visit Lakers ahead of NBA Draft following LeBron's request

For at least a day, LeBron James and son Bronny will finally play with the same NBA team .

Insider Shams Charania revealed on Friday that Bronny will complete a workout with James' Los Angeles Lakers amid conflicting reports regarding the all-time NBA leading scorer's interest in leaving Tinseltown to join his son.

James recently finished his sixth season with the Lakers after a disappointing, non-competitive first-round playoff exit against Nikola Jokic and Denver , the third time in four years that LBJ has failed to advance to win a playoff series. The 39-year-old currently has a player option, allowing him to decline the final season of his contract, prompting speculation with LA's recent playoff heartbreak and an aforementioned desire to play with Bronny.

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James has been eyeing Bronny's assent into a potential NBA superstar, who ultimately finished as a top-40 prospect in the 2023 high school class, per 247Sports. On multiple occasions, James described his willingness to pursue extreme measures to play with his son before retiring from the NBA.

“My last year will be played with my son,” he told The Athletic in 2022. “Wherever Bronny is at, that’s where I’ll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year. It’s not about the money at that point.”

Charania reported on May 17 that, while many teams would attempt to pursue James in free agency with the promise of drafting Bronny, the NBA superstar would turn these offers down and remain with the Lakers. However, in an interview with NBA insider Chris Haynes, James and Bronny's agent Rich Paul reiterated this week that "The King" would like to team up with his son.

“Well, LeBron said he wanted to play with his son," Paul said. "Bronny can't do anything about that. And that's nothing we should push back on. If he wants to play with his son, that's that. But again, I have a job to do representing Bronny and LeBron."

Los Angeles had long been rumored to select Bronny with the 55th pick, a low-risk selection that would likely placate James during a contract year, but the 19-year-old's mercurial ascent up NBA Draft boards brings a more acute headache to the Lakers front office.

Bronny arrived at the NBA Draft Combine as the 98th-ranked prospect on ESPN analysts Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo's NBA Draft big board, but after finishing in the 89th percentile for combo guards on the bSPARQ athleticism rating and earning MVP honors in the second scrimmage, he rose to 54th.

Along with the Lakers, James will workout with Phoenix, one of several players the Suns are considering for the 22nd overall pick. James' focus hardly lies in partnering with his father either, instead looking to forge his own legacy.

"My dream has always just been to put my name out, make a name for myself, and get to the NBA, which is everyone's end goal that's here," Bronny said at the NBA Draft Combine. "I never thought about just playing with my dad. But of course, he's brought it up a couple of times."