One of the biggest talking points heading into the 2024 NBA Draft has been the future of Bronny James.
The son of NBA legend and all-time leading scorer LeBron James, Bronny entered this year’s draft pool, following one year at the University of Southern California after recovering from a cardiac arrest last summer.
Though his stats at USC were relatively underwhelming – 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game on under 37% shooting from the field – Bronny has drawn praise for his athleticism and defensive capabilities.
His true draft stock has become difficult to evaluate as a result of a small sample size, uncertain potential and unprecedented hype for a non-lottery pick.
Despite this, the younger James has been projected as a second-round pick by multiple outlets, with the Ringer, Bleacher Report and ESPN all anticipating that he will be selected 55th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers.
The elder James has previously spoken of his strong desire to play with his son in the NBA.
“My last year will be played with my son,” James told the Athletic in 2022. “Wherever Bronny is at, that’s where I’ll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year. It’s not about the money at that point.”
With James potentially entering free agency this summer – he has until Saturday to decide to take up his player option for over $51 million or opt out of his current Lakers contract – speculation is rife over him leaving LA for a team that drafts Bronny.
However, sharing a team with his son is apparently now less of a priority for the 20-time All-Star than it has been in the past.
“I don’t know, I haven’t given it much thought lately,” James said in April. “Obviously, I thought about it in the past, but at the end of the day, the kid has to do what he wants to do. I don’t even want to say kid anymore, the young man will decide what to do and how he wants to decide how he wants his career to go.”
Bronny has also been linked to the Phoenix Suns, which is the only other team aside from the Lakers that he has taken part in a pre-draft workout with.
His agent, Klutch Sports founder Rich Paul, told ESPN that this was “by design” and said that he had advised teams to not offer the 19-year-old a two-way deal – which second-round picks often sign – that would see him spend time in the NBA’s developmental G-League.
“I got the word out early to teams that if you plan on bringing Bronny in, here’s what you need to know: If you won’t give him a real deal, there’s nothing to talk about,” said Paul. “It’s hard to get real development on a two-way deal.”
According to Paul – who counts the elder James, Anthony Davis and Draymond Green among his NBA clients – multiple teams around the league have expressed an interest in Bronny, including the Minnesota Timberwolves, Dallas Mavericks and Toronto Raptors.
“If it’s not the Lakers, it will be someone else,” Paul said.
It will remain to be seen whether the younger James will be selected by the Lakers, another team or not drafted at all when the NBA Draft kicks off.