Lakers favored to draft Bronny
James, but are rivals circling?
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[May 30, 2024]
Let the rumor games begin in earnest.
Bronny James is staying in the 2024 NBA Draft, adding a massive
layer of intrigue despite not being projected as a first-round pick,
much less a lottery selection.
LeBron James has seemingly backed off previous statements that his
hope is to play with his son in the NBA. Is that posturing, or would
The King truly be satisfied with potentially playing opposite Bronny
a few times a year?
The next month promises to bring smoke screens and rumor mongering
at the highest NBA level.
LeBron James is expected to opt out of his current contract before
the June 29 deadline, regardless of whether he plans to return to
the Los Angeles Lakers. The question is whether he will use that as
leverage to make sure that he winds up playing alongside -- not
opposite -- Bronny, regardless of whether he calls Crypto.com Arena
home next season.
At least one sportsbook is offering odds on each of the potential 30
NBA teams drafting Bronny James.
TEAM TO DRAFT BRONNY JAMES*
Los Angeles Lakers (2/3)
Phoenix Suns (2/1)
New York Knicks (16/1)
Los Angeles Clippers (18/1)
Cleveland Cavaliers (20/1)
Philadelphia 76ers (20/1)
Memphis Grizzlies (22/1)
Miami Heat (22/1)
Chicago Bulls (25/1)
Milwaukee Bucks (25/1)
Atlanta Hawks (28/1)
Dallas Mavericks (28/1)
Oklahoma City Thunder (28/1)
San Antonio Spurs (28/1)
Golden State Warriors (33/1)
Utah Jazz (33/1)
Boston Celtics (40/1)
Denver Nuggets (40/1)
Houston Rockets (40/1)
Minnesota Timberwolves (40/1)
New Orleans Pelicans (40/1)
Portland Trail Blazers (40/1)
Sacramento Kings (40/1)
Toronto Raptors (40/1)
Orlando Magic (45/1)
Brooklyn Nets (50/1)
Detroit Pistons (50/1)
Indiana Pacers (50/1)
Washington Wizards (50/1)
Charlotte Hornets (66/1)
*Odds provided by SportsBetting.ag for informational purposes only.
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On the surface, the Lakers are the perfect landing
spot. LeBron James clearly loves playing for the purple and gold,
and teaming with Bronny in Hollywood would be a marketing grand
slam.
The problem is the Lakers currently hold the Nos.
17 and 55 picks in the June 26 draft (though the New Orleans
Pelicans have the option of taking the Lakers' first-round pick
either this draft or next). Bronny James, 19, isn't viewed as a
mid-first-round prospect by most analysts, but there are no shortage
of teams that might look to take a flier on him before No. 55.
That's why most of the teams with the next-shortest odds to draft
Bronny James have also been mentioned as potential suitors for
LeBron if he's open to another change of NBA addresses.
The Phoenix Suns, who own the No. 22 pick, are scheduled to work out
Bronny James.
Thickening the plot, Suns general manager James Jones played with
LeBron James in Cleveland and Miami. Could Jones make a play to add
the James duo to a core that includes Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and
Bradley Beal?
Phoenix currently has +1200 odds at DraftKings to be the next team
LeBron James takes the court for. That's behind only the Lakers at
-425 and the Cleveland Cavaliers at +750.
The Cavs are tied for the fifth-shortest odds at SportsBetting.ag to
draft Bronny James, which could lead to a third stint for LeBron
with his hometown team. The +2000 odds are the same as those of the
Philadelphia 76ers, who may see a closing window of opportunity with
injury-prone superstar Joel Embiid. The Sixers have the
fifth-shortest odds at DraftKings to land LeBron at +2200.
Another intriguing destination for the father-son tandem -- should
they work a situation to play together -- is the bright lights of
New York City. The New York Knicks are coming off a season that fell
a win shy of the Eastern Conference Finals.
With an ascending roster and another proven star in Jalen Brunson,
could the James duo suit up together in Madison Square Garden? The
Knicks have the third-shortest odds to draft Bronny James, while
DraftKings is offering +2500 odds that they'll sign LeBron James.
Of course, there's still the very real possibility that father and
son are playing for different NBA franchises next season. But LeBron
James' opt-out provides a path for the elder James to help stack the
deck strongly in his favor should the ultimate goal be to play
alongside his son as soon as next season.
--Field Level Media
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