NBA GM: Drafting Bronny James About Getting LeBron; '3 Rounds of' Better Prospects

While Bronny James is testing the waters of the NBA draft, it sounds like some aren't convinced of his chances to be successful at the professional level.

An NBA general manager told The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor that he believes there's a slew of prospects better than James in this year's draft class, so any team that selects him would be doing so in hopes of landing his legendary father, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.

"There are probably three rounds' worth of prospects more talented than Bronny in this class," the GM said. "So picking Bronny is more about getting LeBron's attention right now than it is about developing Bronny himself."

After a relatively quiet freshman season at USC, Bronny James declared for the 2024 draft earlier this week while maintaining his college eligibility and also entering the transfer portal. He appeared in 25 games for the Trojans with six starts and averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 36.6 percent from the field and 26.7 percent from beyond the arc.

James' collegiate career was delayed after he suffered a cardiac arrest during a team workout in July. After being diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, he made a full recovery and was able to make his debut for USC in December.

While the youngster is a highly-touted prospect based on his athleticism, defensive prowess and passing ability, he still has a ways to go if he wants to be a successful NBA player.

"Bronny is nowhere near ready," the GM said. "He should go back to school to develop at his own pace or he risks getting lost in the shuffle, whether or not he's playing with his dad."

However, the allure of the NBA might be too great to pass up. LeBron James has made no secret of his desire to play alongside his son before his NBA career is over, and he recently admitted that he doesn't have a lot of time left in the league. The 39-year-old is already the NBA's all-time leading scorer and a four-time champion, so he doesn't have much else to accomplish.

Perhaps the possibility of creating a James father-son duo would be enough to convince teams to draft Bronny this summer if he chooses not to return to school for another year.