LOS ANGELES – After comments that raised the eyebrows in the basketball world before the commercial deadline and continued until the weekend of the All-Star Game, fueling speculation about his future with the Lakers, LeBron James was very clear on Friday. night.

First, he wants the Los Angeles Lakers – the team he played for four seasons – to be the last franchise he will play for.

“I see myself in purple and gold for as long as I can play,” he said after his side lost 105-102 to the Los Angeles Clippers.

With that goal in mind, James, who has a one-season contract and could sign a two-year contract extension worth more than $ 97 million this summer, would like to play in the NBA with his 17-year-old son. old Bruni, who is currently playing in high school.

“I also have the goal, if possible – I do not even know if it will happen – to play with my son. “I would love to do it,” said the 37-year-old star. “Is it something a man should not want in life? It’s like the most beautiful thing that could happen. This does not mean that I do not want to play for this franchise. »

Under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, Bronny would not be eligible to play in the NBA until the 2024-25 season.

During the All-Star Game weekend in Cleveland, James said The Athletic : “I will play my last year with my son. Wherever Bronny is, I will be there. I would do whatever it took to play with my son for a year. It’s not about money right now. »

While it remains to be seen what the next two years will do for Bronny’s draft prospects, there is plenty of machinations available for the Lakers to secure his services. That could include trading or even James’s agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group, informing other teams that preventing Bronny from being selected by his father in Los Angeles could make trading difficult for him. other Klutch customers.