Bronny James' Landing Spots Predicted by NBA Fans amid LeBron, Lakers, Draft Rumors

Let the Bronny James photoshops begin.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported the USC freshman is expected to keep his name in the 2024 NBA draft pool.

James is coming off a 2023-24 campaign overshadowed by his medical scare in the offseason. He suffered cardiac arrest during a summer workout, which delayed the start of his debut season.

The 6'4" guard is perhaps the biggest wild card in the draft given all of the factors involved. While his individual production (6.4 PPG, 2.1 APG, .366 FG%) probably wouldn't be enough on its own to get drafted, his family name and his father's desire to team up in the NBA could propel him up teams' boards.

The Los Angeles Lakers are the most obvious landing spot. They're reportedly willing to consider the idea as they look to retain LeBron James.

The Lakers' short-term priorities don't make this a slam dunk, though. Los Angeles has pressing needs with its roster in pursuit of an NBA championship, so it would be a less-than-ideal situation for a developmental piece such as Bronny to enter.

There's also the possibility of a different franchise picking the 19-year-old as a means of enticing LeBron to sign. Maybe this is how his long-discussed move to the New York Knicks happens or the way a smaller-market team creates a path to landing a legend who'd under normal circumstances look elsewhere.

That's why James is perhaps the most fascinating prospect in the 2024 class.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman omitted him from his newest mock published after the lottery. He wrote how "opinions on Bronny James are all over the place" heading into the predraft combine.

"Right now, there are skeptics who don't think he's worth drafting," Wasserman said. "Optimists believe USC misused him in a spot-up heavy role that limited his creation chances and ability to generate rhythm. Some think the Los Angeles Lakers will use a second-round pick on him to appease LeBron."

Maybe the combine will help to solidify Bronny's likely draft projection.