"Bronny is cooked": Fans erupt as LeBron James' Lakers exit reportedly gets release date

LeBron James has been the cornerstone of the Lakers franchise since 2018, but that may soon change. The addition of Luka Doncic has provided them with a star for the future, and James has reportedly gotten a release date.

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorst reported on Friday that the Lakers are ready to transition from LeBron. NBA Central posted an excerpt from the report on X (formerly Twitter), providing James' supposed deadline.

"The Lakers had already made their statement in not offering James a contract beyond this season," they wrote. ... "Whether the 2025-26 season is to be James' final season in the NBA is up to him.

"But if he wanted the kind of Hollywood ending that only the Lakers can give legends of the game, the release date was set. Spring, 2026. Luka Doncic in, LeBron James out."

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Fans flocked to the comments to react to the reported deadline for LeBron James.

"LeBron gave them a ring. They’re giving him an expiration date. Cold business," a fan wrote.

"Wow, Lakers turning into a poverty franchise that don’t value their superstars. Kobe would be disappointed," another added.

"Finally the Lakers decided it's not all about LeBron..took them long enough to come to that realization.," another commented.

"Wow, that is brutal, but it is what it is.. That's why it's best to end your career on your terms. Look how MJ did it! It was spectacular," expressed a fourth.

Although many were divided in their opinions, few decided to target Bronny James.

"Bronny is cooked," a fan wrote.

"Post-LeBron era is coming. But what that mean for Bronny?" a fan questioned.

LeBron James opens up on Bronny James' development in the league

Despite making history as the first father-son duo to play in the NBA, Bronny James' rookie year with the Lakers was filled with ups and downs. After a slow start to the season, Bronny signed a two-way deal and spent considerable time with the South Bay Lakers.

During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show in March, LeBron James opened up on Bronny's development.

"Listen for me as a dad, it doesn't matter if he never scores, ever," James said. ... "I am super proud of his development to where he is now. From the moment that he was drafted in June of 2025 to us being now in March of 2026, his development is skyrocketed."

After a slow start to his NBA career, Bronny will be looking to have a bigger impact in his sophomore year.

About the author

Arian Kashyap is a basketball journalist at Sportskeeda with over two years of experience at Essentially Sports and Spice Bite and a Bachelor's in Physical Education and Sports Sciences.

Arian's favorite team is the Miami Heat and it’s mainly down to Dwyane Wade being his favorite player of all time. Arian loved how explosive Wade was as a player and he had all the attributes, whether that be shooting, defending or passing. Arian really liked how he won titles both with and without a dynasty behind him.

Arian has also worked with Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools and was the manager for a Delhi-based women’s team called Garwhal Untied. Garwhal won the Delhi league and were runners-up during his tenure.

Arian has judged essay writing competitions for the Commonwealth Students Welfare Group of India in 2023 and was a part of the U-14 team for the Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools academy that qualified for the AIFF Round in 2023.

When not working or watching sports, Arian likes riding his motorcycle and reading.

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Edited by Ribin Peter