Cynical minds and true believers alike expect Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James and his son, former USC guard and 2024 NBA Draft prospect Bronny James, to play together in the NBA. But is that pairing really a shoo-in?
“LeBron is off this idea of having to play with Bronny,” Rich Paul, the agent of both LeBron and Bronny James, told ESPN on Wednesday. “If he does, he does. But if he doesn’t, he doesn’t. There’s no deal made that it’s guaranteed that if the Lakers draft Bronny at 55, he [LeBron] will re-sign. If that was the case, I would force them to take him at 17. We don’t need leverage. The Lakers can draft Bronny and LeBron doesn’t re-sign. LeBron is also not going to Phoenix for a minimum deal. We can squash that now.”
Bronny James has only worked out for two teams: the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns.
The Lakers own the No. 17 and 55 picks in the 2024 draft, while the Suns own the No. 22 pick. Both teams are coming off first-round playoff losses and have new head coaches; Phoenix hired former Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer to replace Frank Vogel, who was fired after one season, and Los Angeles is seeking a new head coach after firing Darvin Ham.
James went into cardiac arrest last season, delaying the beginning of his freshman season at USC. A former four-star recruit, James appeared in 25 games (six starts), averaging 4.8 points over 19.3 minutes per contest and declared for the draft after the season.
Meanwhile, the 39-year-old James has a $51.4 million player option for the 2024-25 NBA season, which he’s expected to decline. The four-time NBA Finals MVP and 20-time All-NBA honoree has spent the previous six seasons with the Lakers.
Paul added that the Minnesota Timberwolves, Dallas Mavericks and Toronto Raptors have also registered interest in Bronny James, while explaining how he has treated James’ draft process the same way he has any of his other clients.
“Bronny is the same as my previous clients,” Paul said. “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. It’s hard to get real development on a two-way deal.”
Will Bronny James join the Suns or stay in L.A. with LeBron and the Lakers?
Paul is the founder of KLUTCH Sports Group, serving as the agent for several prominent NBA players, including James’ teammate, Anthony Davis, De’Aaron Fox, Zach LaVine and Draymond Green, among many others.
The 2024 NBA Draft will take place from June 26-27.
News
“Every time he plays, Ronaldo can’t shine”, “He wasn’t passing” – Fans blame Cristiano Ronaldo’s teammate for holding Al-Nassr back despite 3-0 win
“Every time he plays, Ronaldo can’t shine”, “He wasn’t passing” – Fans blame Cristiano Ronaldo’s teammate for holding Al-Nassr back despite 3-0 win Al-Nassr fans reacted on social media (Images via Getty and X) Al-Nassr fans on X have accused…
| The GOAT has been beaten by his own teammate in this incredible record!
Inter Miami star beats Lionel Messi to impressive club record previously held by Gonzalo Higuain during draw with Atlanta United Inter Miami striker Leonardo Campana beat Lionel Messi to the club’s all time goal-scoring record, eclipsing Gonzalo Higuain, during their…
💣| Ex-Chelsea star drops bombshell: Bold claim on why Luis Suarez wanted to play with Lionel Messi!😳👀
“The knee, too many games, rubbish” – Ex-Chelsea star makes bold claim on Luis Suarez wanting to play with Lionel Messi Former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Gus Poyet has made a bold claim about his compatriot Luis Suarez’s desire…
Secret behind Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal celebration after going ahead in Al-Nassr win over Al-Ettifaq comes to light
Secret behind Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal celebration after going ahead in Al-Nassr win over Al-Ettifaq comes to light ESPN has shared the secret behind Cristiano Ronaldo’s celebration after scoring for Al-Nassr in the 3-0 win over Al-Ettifaq on Friday, September 20….
From one Barca player to another? Lamine Yamal’s ex Alex Padilla poses in his teammate’s shirt
From one Barca player to another? Lamine Yamal’s ex Alex Padilla poses in his teammate’s shirt Over the summer, Lamine Yamal was dating Spanish influencer Alex Padilla, who was seen cheering him on at the Euros and even joining his family to celebrate…
Barca receives red card in back-to-back Champions League games, who is at fault now?
Barca receives red card in back-to-back Champions League games, who is at fault now? Barcelona have received another red card in a Champions League game. In their last Champion League game against PSG when Ronald Araujo was sent off. This time the red…
End of content
No more pages to load