Bronny James' Top Potential Landing Spots After 2024 NBA Draft Lottery

The Atlanta Hawks landed the coveted No. 1 overall pick in Sunday's 2024 NBA draft lottery, but a player who will likely be taken further down the board will also be a focal point ahead of the June 26 and 27 events.

On April 5, Bronny James announced he was entering the NBA draft but also keeping his options open by entering the transfer portal following his freshman season at USC.

Sam Vecenie of The Athletic reported on April 12 that the son of the legendary LeBron James was "expected to devote his energy" to the draft and end up somewhere his agency, Klutch Sports, would "find desirable."

That will be something of a tricky balance since Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman did not have James in the top 50 players on his latest big board, but there are some potential landing spots for the guard looking ahead to the draft and the 2024-25 campaign.

Here is a look at some of them.

Los Angeles Lakers

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DENVER, CO - APRIL 29: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Denver Nuggets during Round One Game Five of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on April 29, 2024 at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Lakers will be seen as the most obvious landing spot for James leading up to the draft, but it's obvious for a reason.

The connections are very much already in place.

LeBron James has a player option for the 2024-25 season, and The Athletic's Shams Charania, Jovan Buha and Sam Amick already reported the team "badly" wants him to return and is open to a three-year, $164 million max extension.

While ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported last month that conversations with agent Rich Paul suggested "that the idea of them playing together is not a priority; it's not foremost, at least any longer, in LeBron James' mind," drafting his son certainly wouldn't hurt Los Angeles' chances to keep the all-time great in town.

The Lakers likely won't be drafting a franchise-altering player near the end of the second round anyway, so it would be anything but a surprise if they selected Bronny James.

Miami Heat

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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 01: Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra looks on during the third quarter of game five of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs at TD Garden on May 01, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

As with any player who may not even be drafted, it is something of a guessing game with Bronny James at this point. That is especially true when we move beyond the obvious connections with the Lakers.

Still, the Miami Heat either moving into the late second round or even eyeing him as an undrafted free agent would make some sense. There is already a relationship between the organization and LeBron James seeing how the future Hall of Famer played there for four seasons and won two championships.

Miami also has a track record of getting solid production from its draft picks of late and would provide steady and proven infrastructure and coaching that could help the younger James thrive early in his career.

The Heat are a regular playoff contender, so James wouldn't be expected to play significant minutes right away. He could then learn from head coach Erik Spoelstra and the players ahead of him on the depth chart and work on his game at the highest level.

Throw in Miami maintaining its relationship with LeBron James as one of the top players in franchise history, and it wouldn't be shocking to see the front office go in this direction.

Back to College

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 13: Bronny James #6 of the USC Trojans looks on in the first half of a first round game against the Washington Huskies during the Pac-12 Conference basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on March 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Trojans defeated the Huskies 80-74. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

Frankly, Bronny James would almost assuredly be going back to college if it wasn't for his father nearing the end of his NBA odyssey.

While he arrived at USC as a 5-star prospect in the class of 2023, per 247Sports' composite rankings, he didn't live up to those expectations during his first collegiate season. He didn't make his debut until mid-December because he suffered cardiac arrest during an offseason workout, and was more of a rotational player during his first stint in the college ranks.

He averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game while shooting 36.6 percent from the field and 26.7 percent from deep.

The talent is clearly there, and he showed flashes of it multiple times with the Trojans. Yet the delayed start to his season and the on-the-fly adjustment to a higher level of play resulted in an inconsistent first year that could be the groundwork for what turns into a successful collegiate career.

But that would only be possible if he returns to the college game, even as a transfer after USC head coach Andy Enfield left the Trojans for SMU.

Perhaps James and Klutch Sports will receive feedback that convinces them the 19-year-old should return to college and work on his game before entering the 2025 draft with a more well-rounded game and experience at a higher level.

If that is the case, a school such as Ohio State or Duquesne could be waiting.