Lakers at 55? Heat at 43? Ranking Bronny James' Most Realistic 2024 NBA Draft Spots
For several months, Bronny James' projected draft range has been somewhere from the late second round to undrafted altogether. A solid showing in the athletic testing portion of the NBA combine gave him a bit of a boost, but let's face it, being the son of one of the greatest players in NBA history has its benefits.
As we inch closer to the 2024 NBA draft, it's clear LeBron James is influencing the process, even if indirectly. Almost immediately after LeBron was eliminated from the postseason, Shams Charania, Jovan Buha and Sam Amick of The Athletic reported that "team sources say the Lakers are very open to the prospect of helping LeBron fulfill his dream of playing with his son Bronny by potentially drafting him."
James' presence throughout the predraft process—including at the combine—has been unavoidable. But the latest development in that process comes from Bleacher Report's own Chris Haynes, who spoke directly with both James' agent, Rich Paul.
"Bronny's range has been all over," Paul said in an exclusive B/R interview. "Some teams think he goes 20 to 40, some say 30-50, and some teams think he'll go undrafted. It just takes one team."
Paul also made it clear that Bronny does not intend on signing a two-way deal. "Teams know that," he said. "I'm not doing that."
With Bronny's camp all in on getting drafted and rostered, it's time to narrow in on that 20-50 draft range (plus one exception) and pore over the teams that might justify a flyer on the younger James.
6. Utah Jazz at No. 29
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Even after registering an impressive 40.5-inch max vertical leap and a 6'7.25" wingspan at the combine, Bronny still seems likely to get selected either in the second round or not at all.
If the high-water mark is set at the 20th pick, as Haynes reported, that suggests some team in the first round is at least considering the possibility of taking him.
So which squad from Nos. 20 to 30 might that be?
The Utah Jazz are currently sitting at No. 29, and just over a week ago, Yahoo Sports' Krysten Peek reported that Utah might have some interest in Bronny.
The Jazz already have three 2023 first-round picks on the roster (Taylor Hendricks, Keyonte George and Brice Sensabaugh), along with third-year big man Walker Kessler and the No. 10 pick in this year's class. They might be able to justify a flyer on Bronny at No. 29 or No. 32 since they'll have plenty of young talent ahead of him in the pecking order.
George showed flashes of being a capable lead playmaker as a rookie, but he has a long way to go as a defender. Bronny might be able to make an immediate impact on that end of the floor.
5. Miami Heat at No. 43
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Given the way the LeBron era ended with the Miami Heat, it might be surprising to see Pat Riley essentially bury the hatchet and draft his son.
But he saw LeBron up close for four years, and he knows as well as anyone how good his organization is at developing talent.
Bronny averaged 4.8 points and shot only 36.6 percent from the field as a freshman at USC. But he still had a positive box plus/minus thanks to his defense and respectable steal and rebound rates.
The Heat can work wonders with a solid defensive foundation, which is exactly what Bronny may have.
4. Indiana Pacers at No. 49 or 50
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The Indiana Pacers likewise might be intrigued by Bronny's defensive potential.
The Pacers already have a pair of point guards under contract through next season in Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell. However, Indiana finished the regular season ranked 24th in points allowed per 100 possessions.
McConnell competes on defense, but at 6'1" and 190 pounds, he's too small to switch onto bigger matchups. Haliburton, on the other hand, is guilty of lapses both on and off the ball.
Bronny's defense likely wouldn't be good enough to crack Indiana's guard rotation right away, but he'd at least give the Pacers some defense-first depth in the backcourt. They might not consider taking him at No. 36, but they also have a pair of picks later in the second round (Nos. 49 and 50).
3. New York Knicks at No. 38
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Ever since Leon Rose took over basketball operations for the New York Knicks, their moves have typically been calculated, justifiable and ultimately laudable. Gone are the days of attaching glitzy names to the Knicks simply because they're in New York.
In some ways, Bronny fits the profile of a Tom Thibodeau guard to a T.
At 6'1.5", he's undersized. Despite being LeBron's son, the number of fans and analysts betting against him makes him an underdog. Most importantly, he has the potential to be an NBA-level defender.
As is the case with Indiana, Bronny landing on the Knicks would probably mean a few years of waiting before he cracks the rotation. But spending those years learning from gritty guards like Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Hart and Miles McBride would serve him well.
2. Philadelphia 76ers at No. 41
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The Philadelphia 76ers are among the few teams that will have the cap space to sign LeBron outright this summer. And while there may be little chance he'd leave L.A. this offseason, the fit alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey has to offer at least some intrigue.
And if that alone generates something like a 1-2 percent chance to land James, maybe taking Bronny at No. 41 would double it. Maybe?
We're still talking about a low number on a make-believe scale, but Daryl Morey has certainly taken some risks during his career. And worst-case scenario, Philadelphia would have a young guard with a little defensive upside who wouldn't be on a long or cap-busting contract.
1. Los Angeles Lakers at No. 55
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It's at least as likely that Bronny will go outside the top 50 as it is that any team will take him before that point.
Draft season is filled with attempts to boost a prospect's stock. While the last few weeks might have done that for Bronny, falling to 55 is still very much in play.
If he gets there, it's hard to imagine the Los Angeles Lakers passing on Bronny given how important LeBron has been to the organization both on and off the floor.
There's understandable cynicism around this story, but it really is remarkable that LeBron is still playing at an All-NBA level and now has a chance to be teammates with his son.
The Lakers can't pass up making that story a reality.
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