REPORT: Bronny James-Los Angeles Lakers Rumors Take A Stunning Twist

Bronny James of USC looking on.Bronny James (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
One of the hot rumors around the NBA right now is the idea of the Los Angeles Lakers drafting Bronny James with the No. 17 pick.

The rumor is compelling for obvious reasons. LeBron James is a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, and countless basketball fans (and surely LeBron himself) want Bronny James to play with his old man before The King retires.

Bronny isn’t exactly a highly-touted prospect, but many expect him to go in the first round for one simple reason: Whichever team drafts Bronny could very well enhance their chances of landing LeBron in free agency.

But during the latest edition of “The Woj Pod ” podcast, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Lakers do not plan to draft Bronny James with the No. 17 selection. If they want him, Woj suggested that they can try to get the USC product later on:

“The Lakers, to my understanding, they’re not considering Bronny James at No. 17. There’s no reason to take him at 17. If you wanted to take him earlier than 55, you could move up some places but you are just giving away value.”

 

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Bronny appeared in 25 games for USC during his first year of college ball, albeit in a minimal role. He averaged 19.4 minutes per contest, averaging 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.

As for the elder James, he’s widely expected to opt out of his contract this summer. Even if he wants to stay with the Lakers, LeBron would set himself up nicely for more financial security over the last final years of his legendary career.

LeBron & Bronny James Together Would Be A Fan’s Dream

Bronny himself might not be a highly-touted prospect, but that doesn’t mean he can’t eventually succeed in the NBA. Remember, Nikola Jokic, Kawhi Leonard, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jimmy Butler weren’t exactly considered can’t-miss prospects themselves.

But it would be awesome for basketball fans if Bronny and LeBron got to play together, even if the former never developed into a star. There are very few instances of father-son duos playing on the same professional sports team, but Bronny and LeBron would make special history if it somehow came together.