The Warriors' master plan could derail LeBron James' NBA dream of playing with Bronny, says insider

The Denver Nuggets have ensured that the LA Lakers will not see a “sunrise” on the playoff horizon this year. After a disheartening 4-1 loss just last week, LeBron James' dream of reaching the NBA Finals in his 21st season was dashed, leaving plenty of room for speculation about his next move. Will he remain a Laker? Could retirement be on the horizon? There are a lot of questions that need to be answered this offseason. However, the Lakers may have a master plan that could persuade King James to stay in LA.

For years, LeBron James has said that the only dream he hasn't fulfilled in his illustrious NBA career is playing with his eldest son, Bronny. And the Lakers could fulfill his wish. Multiple reports suggest that the Los Angeles Lakers would select Bronny in the 2024 NBA Draft to convince James to stay in LA. So it's very likely that James' fate is sealed with purple and gold. But some might argue against that.

Now of course everyone would have their eye on LeBron James, but James won't be coming alone, teams will be eager to bring Bronny along as a bargaining chip to ensure the King is on their team. However, since the Dubs finished slightly worse in the table than the Lakers (with 56), they would have the opportunity to draft before LA (with 53). The Warriors might as well use this pick to add Bronny to their team, knowing that the Lakers desperately want to keep Bron and are willing to do whatever it takes to do so. The Athletic's Tim Kawakami has explored this idea extensively.

In a recent episode of The TK Show, Kawakami said: “They (Warriors) will explore LeBron. You will deal with the draft of Bronny. The Warriors could force the Lakers to trade them something decent for that pick… I can imagine the Warriors saying, 'We're going to sign Bronny.' What are you going to do about it, Lakers?'”

The Golden State Warriors could either take Bronny as a draft pick, or if the Lakers want Bronny back, they could just as easily ask them to send a “key player” from LA's roster to their side. Whatever the case, this literally means that James' dream may be shattered.

The Warriors previously explored the possibility of a trade for LeBron James during this season's trade deadline in February. While the Lakers were willing to consider the idea, it was LeBron himself who turned down the opportunity to join the Bay Area team. However, could the upcoming offseason lead to a change in circumstances?

Will LeBron James remain a Laker?

The Lakers' hierarchy knew very well that the 2023-24 season could be LeBron James' last season as a Laker, he is effectively a free agent this summer. Despite knowing this, the Lakers didn't make any significant trades early this season. In some ways, both the Lakers and James will face crucial decisions after the Finals end.

Although sources say the franchise is limiting Bronny and LeBron's commitment to a “traditional” team like the Lakers, there is another report from ESPN after the game that disagrees. According to the report, LeBron's future “remains a mystery.” There are some sources in the report that say team officials don't really know what James will do this summer related to that $51.4 million player option. There are also reports that the Lakers would be willing to offer him a three-year contract extension worth $164 million. Of course, this will be an unprecedented achievement for an aging player. After all, no 39-year-old player has signed such a big contract. And to top it off, it could come with a coaching change (and probably a coach of his choice), his son (possibly), a more consistent PG unlike D'Angelo Russell, a better forward unlike Taurean Prince, and an overall win balanced team; A team that James doesn't want to walk away from. It will be a healthy package for him.

What's worth noting is that several reports have been doing the rounds that playing with Bronny is no longer a top priority for LeBron James. NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski added more context in his report following his brief conversation with Rich Paul, Bron's agent. “The idea of ​​them playing together is not a priority for LeBron James, it is no longer at the forefront, at least not anymore.” Wojnarowski said.

In post-game press calls after the Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs, Bron was asked about his future with his son on the court as he (Bronny) is already being tested in the NBA Drafts this year. He said, “I haven't thought about it much lately, obviously I've thought about it in the past.” Seems like LeBron left the question out. He also said: “Ultimately the child has to do what he wants to do. I don’t even want to say “kid no” anymore, the young man will decide what he wants to do and how his career should go.”

Back to the LA side: The last thing they would want to do is break ties with their superstar on and off the court. Even at that age, he averaged 25.7 points, 8.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds in 71 regular season games. Additionally, he averaged 27.8 points, 8.8 assists and 6.8 rebounds in five games in the 2024 playoffs. So it's no surprise that the Lakers want to keep him. But will their efforts bear fruit?