IF LEBRON SAYS THE END IS “COMING,” EXPECT THE LAKERS TO SIGN … BRONNY

James shot down Golden State’s offer because he wants to finish his career with the Lakers, who must forgo the future and sign his son despite freshman struggles at USC that suggest G League potential

     It’s hard to believe, in any son-to-father parable, that Bronny James will leave USC this summer to play with his father. To be frank, he doesn’t qualify as an NBA player, hitting only 36 percent of his shots and 27 percent of his threes and making more turnovers than steals. This isn’t the best time to pair up with dad, less than seven months since a 19-year-old suffered cardiac arrest.

     Nonetheless, LeBron James thinks Bronny could play immediately for the Lakers, despite his 5.7 points per game for the 10-16 Trojans. “Right now, easy,” he said. And if drafting him allows the old man to remain in downtown Los Angeles, on a $51.4 million player’s option at 40, then owner Jeanie Buss must decide if she’d prefer an awkward storybook ending or move on to a future without them.

     She will take the awkward storybook, even if fans would rather have Jonathan Kuminga.

     That became apparent Sunday before James’ record 20th consecutive start in the All-Star Game. He made it clear he loves life as a Laker, explaining why he quickly shot down Golden State’s zealous interest last week in joining Steph Curry. I speak for basketball people globally in admiring the pitch-and-lob joy he rejected, for all of us, but this was his way of reminding why he wants to retire in purple and gold. He wants Buss and hoops chief Rob Pelinka to draft Bronny in June and, perhaps, let next season be his last at 22.

     “I am a Laker, I am happy and have been very happy being a Laker these last six years, and hopefully it stays that way,” James said.

     And he won’t be playing much longer. “I have not mapped out how many seasons I have left, I know it’s not that many,” he said.

     The days of LeBron counting down titles — six for Michael Jordan, five for Kobe Bryant — aren’t happening in 2024. His friends, including agent Rich Paul, say it out loud. As the league’s all-time scoring leader with four championships, including one in the 2020 pandemic bubble, he doesn’t have much to prove anymore. He’s not quite the Greatest Of All Time and not quite the most beloved of Lakers legends, but his Hollywood maneuver made him the most famed and self-exposed American athlete. He wants to play with Bronny and give it one farewell whirl, which is a fun story and not what southern Californians expect from the Lakers. They wanted the Warriors to ship Kuminga, who is becoming a superstar at 21, almost twice as young as James. Even if they land Trea Young from Atlanta in the offseason and pair him with James and Anthony Davis, what are their true chances in a Western Conference with dynasty-bidding Denver, potent Minnesota and Oklahoma City and the veteran Clippers and Suns?

     He’ll leave with a quartet, giving us room to breathe in Jordan’s G.O.A.T. camp. But Buss wants the jerseys of legends in the rafters and has one big banner from James, who means more to her than Kuminga. That is enough in her eyes to draft Bronny, even if he belongs in the G League and life is too short for fans awaiting a LeBron-a-thon. James lived a career of dreams. He will go out with another dream. “Hopefully, (it) is with the Lakers. It's a great organization, so many greats,” he said. “I don't know how it's going to end, but it's coming. It's coming, for sure.”

     Curiously, the Lakers don’t have a first-round pick, which belongs to New Orleans. And, yes, I can imagine league executives using a higher pick for Bronny — and try waving LeBron to town. The Warriors made a run. The Dallas Mavericks might try. Neither has a first-round pick, but you don’t think Joe Lacob or Mark Cuban would move up and take a stab? Or the New York Knicks, who have the 18th and 23rd picks? Or Phoenix, which has No. 20?

     Still, if dad wants to be a Laker, Bronny simply can say no or force a trade. This household combination will happen, though it’s a bit odd when James remains one of the league’s premier players. Did you see his first-quarter dunk from Luka Doncic at a bad All-Star Game? Is it the right time to have Family Night at Crypto.com Arena? “My mind is just sharper than anything,” he said. “It’s allowed me to go out there and sometimes just outthink the game and not have to be physically imposing for 40 or 42 minutes. I guess I’m a lot smarter than I was in my first 10 years compared to these last 10 years.”

     If LeBron says this is it, then off he goes, maybe to run the Las Vegas expansion team. Would bye-bye come in 2025? Already, he says he’s “50-50” about announcing his intentions in advance. “I'm going to be honest. There’s times where I feel like I guess I owe it to my fans who have been along this journey with me for two decades-plus, to be able to give them that moment, you know, where in every city they give you your flowers — and that seems cool,” James said. “The other side is, I’ve never been that great with accepting my praise. It’s a weird feeling for me. I never really talked about it much, for me, going to every city if that’s the case. … I don’t know how I would feel. I don’t know if I would feel great about it.

     “Maybe it’s the only child in me.”

     He has two months to reach a Western play-in position, maybe win once or lose to Sacramento. He’ll play in the Paris Olympics, hoping to add a medal to his two gold and single bronze, though his body mileage could make him limited. “As it stands, I am healthy enough to be on the team and perform at that level that I know I could perform at,” James said. “But there’s still time left in the season. So I don’t know what the future holds as far as postseason, whatever the case may be. It’s more miles put on these tires, you know? But if I’m committed, which I am, to Team USA, then I’m gonna commit my mind, body and soul to being out there for Team USA, being out there to represent our country with the utmost respect.”

     Then he’ll greet Bronny with a high five on Opening Night. Start saying goodbye. But, oh, Curry to James … James to Curry … Curry to James …

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     Jay Mariotti, called “without question the most impacting Chicago sportswriter of the past quarter-century,’’ writes general sports columns for Substack while appearing on some of the 1,678,498 podcasts and shows in production today. He is an accomplished columnist, TV panelist and talk/podcast host. Living in Los Angeles, he gravitated by osmosis to film projects.