NBA Draft 2024: Lakers Eye Bronny James with 17th Pick Amid Speculation

The 2024 NBA Draft will span two days this year, with the first round scheduled for June 26 and the second round on June 27. The Los Angeles Lakers hold the 17th and 55th overall picks, recently acquiring the first-round pick from the New Orleans Pelicans as part of the Anthony Davis trade. There is considerable buzz around the Lakers potentially selecting Bronny James with one of their draft picks.

NBA Hall of Famer and former Laker James Worthy recently discussed this possibility on The Dan Patrick Show, detailing a scenario where the Lakers might use their first-round pick on Bronny James.

“It’s just the way the league has grown; it’s a trend of what’s happening,” Worthy said. “Social media, load management, there’s so much going on, and I think LeBron stands in the same light as Griffey Sr. and Griffey Jr., Gordie Howe and his sons, even if it’s just for a week. So I can see him maybe being on the Laker team or the G League, and then there’s a big national game coming up in a couple of weeks, they’ll pull him up and there you have it, son and father playing.”

“Bronny’s got a lot to prove. I think his combine was pretty good, so we’ll see. At 6’1, it’ll be a challenge, but it can be done. We’ve seen others.”

While Worthy mentions the G League as a potential destination for Bronny, his agent Rich Paul recently stated they were not considering a two-way contract option for Bronny. Nonetheless, even with a standard NBA contract, Bronny could still be assigned to the G League.

The possibility of Bronny James and LeBron James playing together in the NBA has been a topic of much speculation. LeBron has openly expressed his desire to play alongside his son, but Bronny, via his agent, has indicated that his NBA future is not necessarily tied to his father. This sentiment was echoed during the recent NBA combine.

Bronny James had a modest freshman season at USC after a cardiac arrest scare in the offseason. He played 25 games for the Trojans, including six starts, averaging 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game with shooting splits of 36.6 percent from the field, 26.7 percent from the three-point line, and 67.6 percent from the free-throw line.

After the college season, Bronny declared for the NBA Draft while also entering the transfer portal to maintain his college eligibility. He ultimately chose to stay in the draft at the deadline for underclassmen to withdraw. Reports suggest Bronny has declined workout offers from teams other than the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns.