Lakers insider shuts down big Bronny James rumors

Ever since he entered the NBA, Bronny James has been subject to mockery and debate.

Now that his father, LeBron James, is leaving the Lakers, rumors about his potential exit have also flooded social media. James waited until after Bronny's deal was fully guaranteed to inform the Lakers of his decision to leave. While that may not have been much of a surprise, it was probably a strategic decision.

Nevertheless, as much as most fans and some members of the media speculated, it looks like James' future isn't necessarily tied to Bronny. The Lakers haven't thought about trading him to his father's next destination.

The Lakers would like to keep Bronny James, regardless of LeBron

"LeBron’s departure from the Lakers after eight seasons isn’t viewed as anything related to Bronny’s standing with the team," Dan Woike of The Athletic reported. "While anything can happen, the younger James, 21, is well-liked in the Lakers locker room and a respected worker who has improved greatly in his two years with the organization. He attended the Lakers’ Las Vegas Summer League win Saturday night and is a part of their veteran minicamp that began Monday."

Multiple reports implied that James and his camp forced the Lakers' hand to take Bronny, who was probably better off returning to college, in the second round. Even so, it seems that the USC product has earned his stripes on JJ Redick's team.

While he played sparingly and didn't provide much on offense, he averaged 15.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game on 56/45/78 shooting splits in the G League. Whether he'll take a bigger role in his third season remains to be seen, but it looks like he's not going anywhere for now.