Bronny James Rumors: NBA Rivals Expect Lakers to Draft LeBron's Son in 2nd Round

All eyes are on Bronny James heading into the second round of the 2024 NBA draft on Thursday, and there's reportedly an expectation that the former USC guard will remain on the West Coast.

According to The Athletic's Sam Vecenie, "It's seen as likely by sources who represent opposing teams across the league that the Lakers will select Bronny James in the second round of the 2024 NBA draft."

The Lakers own the No. 55 pick on Thursday. They used the No. 17 pick to select Tennessee guard Dalton Knecht, which was seen as a steal because Knecht was expected to be a lottery pick.

James only held predraft workouts with the Lakers and Phoenix Suns in recent weeks. As of now, the Suns don't have a pick in the second round, leaving the door open for Los Angeles to select the youngster.

B/R's Jonathan Wasserman predicted in his second-round mock draft that the Lakers would use their pick to select James, which would unite him with his legendary father LeBron James.

Vecenie added that despite the 19-year-old's skills, there are still concerns about his effectiveness at the professional level.

"James has potential as a defender and shooter, but he struggles to handle the ball at a high enough level to play point guard at 6'1"," Vecenie stated. "I have an Exhibit 10 grade on him and don't see him as draftable, but the odds seem good that he'll hear his name called. We'll see if that comes to fruition."

After landing a top prospect like Knecht in the first round, the Lakers can afford to take a chance on a developmental prospect like James. It would also fulfill his dad's longtime goal of sharing the floor with his son.