This summer should be an interesting one for Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James. James has a $51.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season. It is unknown if James will pick up his option for what could be his final season. However, according to Marc Stein, there may be reason to believe James could decline his option and leave the Lakers, as long as he gets to play with his son, Bronny James:
I know of at least two teams on the NBA map that believe LeBron James would consider signing with them at far less than $51.4 million if Bronny James is on the roster. There might be more.
LeBron has been very open about his desire to play with Bronny. Last year, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst suggested the 39-year-old may care more about being teammates with Bronny than winning another championship before it is all said and done:
I honestly believe that LeBron cares more about playing with Bronny than he would about getting another ring.
The 19-year-old Bronny is currently playing college basketball with the USC Trojans. In 16 games, Bronny is averaging 5.8 points, 3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. Additionally, the freshman guard is shooting 35.6% from the field and 27.1% from the three-point line. Although his numbers do not stand out, Bronny is athletic and has a high basketball IQ. Early on, it is tough to gauge where he would go in the upcoming draft if he declares for it.
As for the elder James, he is averaging 24.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game this season. James has also recently been selected to an NBA record 20th All-Star team.
Could They Actually Team Up?
There has been a ton of debate in the NBA world about whether Bronny is an NBA talent or not. However, according to Seth Davis of The Messenger, some at USC seemed impressed with Bronny’s play before his July “medical episode”:
Multiple sources at USC have said that James looked stellar before his medical episode. His outside shot was buttery, he was blowing past defenders, and his basketball IQ was off the charts. James doesn’t have to carry this team. All he has to do is play in space, make good decisions, and knock down open shots. He can do those things in spurts even if he is at less than maximum condition.
While it is nearly impossible for Bronny to match his father’s basketball career, it is clear Bronny could develop into something special.
Additionally, NBA insider Shams Charania recently spoke about Bronny’s draft stock and said he “is on the draft boards of multiple teams.” It looks like there may be a serious market for Bronny in the 2024 NBA Draft.
As for teams who may draft Bronny, it is way too soon to know for sure. Interestingly, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski recently hinted that the Lakers may not be that team. Ultimately, it seems very possible LeBron and Bronny become teammates in the NBA as soon as next season. This is especially true if it boils down to whether teams are legitimately interested in drafting Bronny or not.
In what is already arguably the greatest NBA career in history, LeBron is looking to make history with Bronny as the first-ever father-son duo to be teammates in the NBA. This will be an interesting story to monitor for the next few months.
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