Getty Bronny James.
The Los Angeles Lakers came away from the first round of the 2024 NBA draft with Dalton Knecht but many more eyes will be watching what they do with their second-round pick.
Many mock drafts have linked the team to USC guard Bronny James, who is the son of LeBron James. It’s no secret about the connection the younger James has with the Lakers and now some believe that teams should use that against Los Angeles.
The Boston Celtics pick right before the Lakers in the second round at No. 54 and Tim Legler of ESPN believes they should use that pick to reignite the rivalry between Los Angeles.
“I’m just saying, 54th pick, we renew the Cold War between the Celtics and the Lakers,” Legler said on the June 27 episode of “First Take.” “The Boston Celtics take Bronny James and send a ransom note to the Lakers. ‘We have your son. We have your son. If you want him back, it’s gonna take Austin Reeves.'”
This would be a bold move for the Celtics to make but there’s no love lost between the two franchises. It’s hard to imagine the Lakers would play along and it could turn into a big headache for Boston but it would certainly send a strong message to their archrival.
“54th pick. We renew the Cold War between the Celtics and the Lakers. The Boston Celtics take Bronnie James and send a ransom note to the Lakers:
‘We have your son. We have your son. If you want him back…If you want him back, it’s gonna take Austin Reeves'”- Tim Legler
Bronny James Doesn’t Need to Go to Los Angeles Lakers
The biggest issue with Legler’s plan is that it may not work. LeBron James is still playing at a high level but he will turn 40 during the season. Los Angeles might be too keen on giving up younger assets just to keep him happy.
Plus, the James family isn’t as committed to the idea of having to play on the same team anymore, according to agent Rich Paul.
“LeBron is off this idea of having to play with Bronny,” Paul told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony for a June 19 column. “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.”
Another problem with Legler’s plan is that it would likely make Paul very unhappy. Though Boston doesn’t have any Klutch Sports clients on its roster, it would be risky to upset one of the most powerful agencies in the NBA.
Will Bronny James Still End up in LA?
The Phoenix Suns appear to be the only other team seriously considering drafting Bronny James. That could be because they think he can develop into a good pro but could also be a tactic to try and lure the guard’s father.
However, it’s most likely that James gets drafted by the Lakers at No. 55. It’d be the optimal situation for him to develop and LeBron James would likely be happy with the move. He can leave this offseason but adding his son would strengthen the team’s chances of retaining him despite what Paul told ESPN. If the team passes on Bronny James, it would come as a big surprise.