Many are curious if and when Bronny James will be selected in the upcoming 2024 NBA Draft. The son of LeBron James who declared for the draft following one season at USC where he averaged just 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 19.4 minutes per game predominantly off of the bench for the Trojans.
LeBron James has verbally expressed interest in playing with his Bronny in the NBA, which makes his son’s workout for the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the draft logical. But the fact that James has only worked out with Los Angeles and the Phoenix Suns in the draft evaluation process has raised some eyebrows.
James’ agent and CEO of Klutch Sports Group Rich Paul recently spoke with Jonathan Givony and made it clear that his client’s lack of pre-draft workouts are an intentional move. Even revealing a handful of team’s that have expressed interest in Bronny James despite him not working out for them.
“There are other teams that love Bronny,” Paul said. “For example, Minnesota Timberwolves, Dallas Mavericks, Toronto Raptors. If it’s not the Lakers, it will be someone else.“
The Lakers have the No. 17 and No. 55 picks in the upcoming draft, which would give the father-son duo the best chances of joining forces in Los Angeles. But Paul seems confident that even if the Lakers do not select Bronny James a variety of other franchises would very well do so despite not seeing him workout.
“Minnesota would love to get Bronny in, but I don’t know who their owner is going to be. [Mavs GM] Nico Harrison is like an uncle to Bronny. If the Lakers don’t take him at 55, Dallas would take him at 58 and give him a guaranteed deal. Masai [Ujiri, Raptors president], loves him. They could take him without even seeing him at 31. Workouts aren’t everything for these teams,” Paul explained.
James’ limited amount of private workouts with teams is a strategy that Paul has been using for several years with his clients. Especially ones in need of more development like James in an attempt to find an organization that values the player most followed by a push to get them there. As James will likely not work out with any other teams with the draft one week away.
“Lakers and Phoenix, that was it,” Paul said. “There could be last-minute stuff, if someone calls me late. We’ll see.”
The NBA Draft begins on June 26 at 8 p.m. ET, and it will not just be fascinating to see where James lands, but if it’s followed by another domino of his father joining forces with him as well if the Lakers do not select him.
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