Although Bronny James tries to stay off all social media, that strategy didn't stop one of his friends from calling him up this week and asking him about LeBron James' thoughts on the Los Angeles Lakers' direction - and what it all might mean for Bronny's future.
"I said, 'I have no idea what you're talking about,'" Bronny James said with a grin Wednesday after practice with the Lakers' NBA Summer League team. "I don't really pay attention to that stuff. There's a lot of stuff going around that I don't pay attention to."
Bronny sounds ready to spend a long, hot summer ducking rumors, pleading ignorance on innuendo and concentrating on the work necessary to become a contributor during his second NBA season with the Lakers.
LeBron James has decided to pick up his 52.6 million player option with the Lakers for his record 23rd NBA season - but his longtime agent, Rich Paul, announced the news with ambiguous comments in which he declared LeBron's desire to compete for a championship this season, even while the Lakers are building for the future around Luka Doncic.
While many NBA observers are interpreting the comments as a prelude to a possible trade if the Lakers aren't an elite team in the fall, Bronny James said he isn't thinking or looking that far ahead. The Lakers took a big step toward contention Wednesday when center Deandre Ayton agreed to sign with them as a free agent, filling their most glaring offseason need.