There are several intriguing storylines coming into the 2024-25 NBA season. Can anyone stop the Boston Celtics from repeating? Will Paul George and Joel Embiid play well together? Will Jimmy Butler stay with the Miami Heat or be moved? Those and many more are compelling, but none is bigger in the national media’s eyes than LeBron James playing with his son Bronny together on the same team.

Seemingly everything over the past couple of years was always leading to this. At 39 years old, James doesn’t have too many seasons left in the NBA. Everyone believed he was holding out until Bronny James could make it to the league, and he did so by leaving USC after just one season in which he wasn’t overly impressive. Now, Bronny must perform after the Los Angeles Lakers spent a second round pick on him.

LeBron and Bronny go toe-to-toe during pickup game

Many are wondering how the two will behave when they take the court together given their close bond and familial relationship. Lakers GM Rob Pelinka gave a glimpse into what it might look like, when he recently described a moment between the two during an intense pickup game.

[Bronny] got switched onto LeBron and LeBron took him baseline and up and under off the glass. The words exchanged afterwards were probably more challenging than anything else.

Pelinka didn’t reveal exactly what was said, but LeBron surely let Bronny know that his father is still the King. He likely mentioned something about not being able to guard him, or he may have lit into him for the defensive effort.

Either way, it’s clear LeBron will be demanding a lot from Bronny throughout their time together on the Lakers. If he treats him roughly during a pickup game, imagine if Bronny misses a defensive assignment during a competitive game.