3 potential Bronny James landing spots in the 2024 NBA Draft – NBC Los Angeles

A school basketball participant that averaged 4.8 factors per recreation throughout his freshman 12 months normally does not garner a lot consideration within the NBA draft.

However when that participant is the son of essentially the most well-known basketball participant on Earth, exceptions are made.

LeBron James’ oldest son, Bronny, entered the 2024 NBA Draft and can anticipate to listen to his identify referred to as someday throughout Wednesday’s first spherical or Thursday’s second spherical. The 6-foot-2 level guard performed 25 video games with the USC Trojans in 2023-24 after struggling a cardiac arrest final summer time.

Regardless of lackluster manufacturing in his lone collegiate season, Bronny James saved his identify within the 2024 draft with agent Wealthy Paul insisting his consumer would require a normal NBA contract and never a two-way deal.

Looming over Bronny James’ standing is the implications for his father. LeBron James is broadly anticipated to decide out of his 2024-25 participant choice with the Los Angeles Lakers and rejoin the crew in free company, however his earlier feedback about his needs to sometime play along with his son within the NBA may entice some groups to draft his son with hopes of turning the Jameses right into a package deal deal.

So, which crew may choose Bronny James within the 2024 NBA Draft? Kaz Famuyide of Fanatics Sportsbook broke down three potentialities:

Los Angeles Lakers

2024 NBA Draft picks: No. 17, No. 55 (by way of Clippers)

Bronny James would not even want to maneuver out of his Brentwood dwelling if the Lakers chosen him. As an alternative, he would get to maintain dwelling along with his father turned teammate.

The Lakers are essentially the most obvious and entertaining match for Bronny James. Nevertheless, there are questions in regards to the Lakers’ path to drafting him.

No. 17 is considered as far too early to make use of on Bronny James — even in a draft stuffed with query marks — however he additionally might not make it to No. 55.

Choosing Bronny James would set LeBron James as much as end his profession as a Laker. Nevertheless, the Lakers have to think about if taking the purpose guard at No. 17 or utilizing extra draft capital to maneuver up from No. 55 is in the perfect curiosity of recent head coach JJ Redick, All-Star large man Anthony Davis and the remainder of the group.

Bronny James, son of NBA all-time main scorer LeBeron James, is predicted to be a second spherical choose within the 2024 NBA Draft.

Phoenix Suns

2024 NBA Draft picks: No. 22

The primary 12 months of the Phoenix Suns’ large three didn’t go based on plan.

Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal fashioned one of many NBA’s most costly trios final offseason, however they in the end didn’t win a playoff recreation and have been swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves within the first spherical.

Given the crew’s monetary state of affairs, the draft may grow to be an important a part of Phoenix’s team-building. The franchise may take a swing on Bronny James hoping he pans out as a productive bench guard — and doubtlessly have his father comply with him to the desert.

“The Suns are in cap hell,” Famuyide mentioned, alluding to the Suns’ stars all being underneath contract by means of the following two seasons.

“Perhaps they take an opportunity on a second-round choose like Bronny James and hope that LeBron says, ‘You recognize what? I will depart the Lakers, play with these star gamers and take much less cash to attempt to get one other championship alternative.’ That is doable.”

Cleveland Cavaliers

2024 NBA Draft picks: No. 20

The Cleveland Cavaliers face extra imminent uncertainty with their prime participant.

Donovan Mitchell has a 2025-26 participant choice and will hit free company subsequent summer time, placing the Cavaliers able to increase or commerce him this offseason or run the danger of dropping him for nothing a 12 months from now. Whereas Bronny James might be a backup guard behind Mitchell in Cleveland, Famuyide thinks LeBron James returning to Cleveland as soon as once more would entice Mitchell to remain put.

“I believe you’ll be able to inform a man like [Mitchell] would wish to keep in Cleveland if the King was coming again to make Ohio a championship contender as soon as once more,” Famuyide mentioned.

In the case of basketball match, groups might be inclined to see if Bronny James falls to them within the second spherical. Nevertheless, even when it is a slim probability, the potential for touchdown LeBron James in a package deal deal may lure a corporation to swing for the fences on his son sooner than anticipated.

“You gotta admit, the enticement of presumably prying LeBron James from the Los Angeles Lakers may be an excessive amount of for just a few NBA groups to move up,” Famuyide mentioned.