The Los Angeles Lakers are willing to do whatever it takes to convince LeBron James to return next season and finish his NBA career in Los Angeles. One way to seemingly increase the odds of that happening would be taking Bronny James in the 2024 NBA Draft.
NBA rumors surfaced early this offseason that the Lakers are willing to appease LeBron by taking Bronny James in the NBA Draft. With James planning to opt out of his contract and potentially test NBA free agency, Los Angeles must find a way to keep James from leaving.
Related: Identifying Los Angeles Lakers coaching candidates
The Lakers coaching search is already believed to be tailored to make the franchise star happy with owner Jeanie Buss viewing James as an integral part of the franchise that they can’t afford to lose. Even if James only plays two more seasons in the NBA, the organization wants his NBA career to end in Los Angeles.
It’s also led to speculation that the Lakers might use the 17th overall pick in the NBA Draft to take Bronny, providing the father and son with the opportunity to share the court and play on the same team.
Related:Â NBA insider reveals which team LeBron James is expected to sign with
Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show, ESPN’s NBA reporter Dave McMenamin shed light on the Lakers’ first-round pick and what the franchise is looking to do with it to help James. Asked specifically about whether or not the No. 17 selection would be used on Bronny, McMenamin made that seem unlikely.
“I don’t think so, So you look at the Lakers, they have the No. 17 pick in the first round, the No. 55 pick in the second round. If Bronny James stays in the NBA draft, he’s not going to be drafted in the range of 17 and he’s going to be off the board by 55. And with the value of that 17 pick—the true value I should say—being a potential trade asset for the Lakers being able to move three first-round picks on draft night potentially to acquire a big name ready to perform. Someone on the level of a Dejounte Murray, or a Trae Young, or a Donovan Mitchell, that pick will certainly not be used on anyone if they had their druthers, and it wouldn’t be used on Bronny James.”
Dave McMenamin on whether or not the Los Angeles Lakers will use the 17th pick on Bronny James
Related: See what role NBA scouts, execs think Bronny James plays at the next level
For as much as James might like to be teammates with his son, using the 17th overall pick on Bronny instead of packaging it for an impact player would hurt the Lakers’ championship hopes. There also doesn’t seem to be a team in the NBA that views Bronny as anything close to a first-round talent.
As a result, with the Lakers’ second-round pick being 55th overall, it seems unlikely that Bronny will wind up in Los Angeles without a trade. If he is available at a selection inside the 40s, it’s possible the Lakers could acquire the pick for cash considerations. For now, though, the focus in Los Angeles seems to be on acquiring a third star to add to the Lakers lineup.
