Maybe Bronnie James sent a card or some chocolate. Just a thought.
On Saturday, Dan Patrick expressed his disappointment that Bronnie didn’t attend the press conference for Luka Doncic’s three-year, $165 million extension with the Lakers.
“Bronnie James should’ve been there,” Patrick remarked on his show. “You’re the last guy on the roster. You should be there. Show me your support.”
LeBron James was another notable absence. Instead of attending, he reportedly spent the weekend golfing with Bronnie, offering congratulations to Doncic over FaceTime.
“LeBron wasn’t there; he facetimed Luka. I think he knew this was going to happen, but okay, you’re on vacation,” Patrick noted. “But I really thought Bronnie should be there—if you want to stick around after LeBron leaves, that’s your teammate.”
“It’s surprising. Bronnie should’ve been there,” Patrick emphasized.
According to a video posted on X, LeBron and Bronnie were, in fact, golfing together somewhere on Sunday.
Patrick seemed to suggest that Bronnie could dodge showing support for Doncic publicly because he was with LeBron, but I’m not sure that’s the best stance.
“I felt like, ‘Hey, my dad, LeBron, we were on vacation,’” Patrick continued, “but you could also say, ‘Dad, that’s my team. That’s my teammate… I need to cut this holiday short. I think it’s really important to be there.’”
The timing of this whole situation feels a bit off, especially considering the Lakers’ brief offseason.
LeBron has recently shared a training video from the Clippers’ facility, which has raised some eyebrows regarding potential trades.
The 21st All-Star’s agent, Rich Paul, has indicated a desire to build a championship roster after LeBron accepted a $52.6 million player option this offseason.
As for LeBron, who turned 41 in December, he is reportedly keeping an eye on the Lakers’ moves to ensure he can contend for a championship this season.
Ultimately, whether Doncic cares about Bronnie’s absence might be up to him, but Patrick seems to believe that Bronnie skipping out gave the wrong impression.
