May 15, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; Bronny James participates in the 2024 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
NBA: Combine
(Brooklyn, NY) – The first round of the 2024 NBA Draft concluded at the Barclays Center last night, yet the most headlined prospect is yet to be picked.
Well before his first year at USC, Bronny James has been the talk of the town as his father, LeBron, has been vocal about his desire to play with him. The 39 year-old is still one of the best players in the game, but the opportunity to play with his son has been an apparent motivating factor keeping LeBron on the court.
Usually when a prospect brings more than meets the eye it means they have some sort of attitude issue of injury history. But Bronny provides the most unique opportunity perhaps in the history of any league – an opportunity to sign one of the greatest players of all time.
There’s no guarantee that LeBron would join any team for the sole purpose of playing with his son. He has stated his interest in remaining a Laker, but is an unrestricted free agent and has never been shy to switch teams in pursuit of his interests.
The Lakers are one of only two teams to have officially worked out with Bronny – the other team being the Phoenix Suns. The likelihood of James ending up in Phoenix is low, being that they have three superstars on max contracts and minimal draft capital to acquire James. There would also be a very slim avenue for LeBron to enter the picture from a financial standpoint without finding a willing partner to trade for either Durant, Beal, or Booker.
The final dark horse candidate for James is over on the east coast. Philadelphia and team President Daryl Morey are all about landing star players. Drafting Bronny would give the 76ers a fighting chance of landing LeBron in free agency to pair alongside former MVP Joel Embiid and rising star in Tyrese Maxey.
The sportsbooks have listed Los Angeles as the heavy favorite to land Bronny at -160. The next closest team is Phoenix at +700. In their current slot the Lakers do not draft until pick 55, the likely home of the first father-son duo in NBA history.
