NBA teams eye Bronny James as first-round draft pick to lure LeBron in free agency

Bronny James is seen as a way to convince LeBron James to sign with a team in free agency.

NBA teams eye Bronny James as first-round draft pick to lure LeBron in free agency

LeBron and Bronny James

LeBron James has a player option for next season, and teams have been exploring ways to sign him in free agency. However, a strategy is to draft his son Bronny James, who has been given first-round consideration, according to multiple NBA executives.

It is believed that drafting Bronny James is seen as a way to convince LeBron James to sign with a team, as reported by Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. However, Shams Charania reported that LeBron joining a team solely because they drafted his son is not a guarantee.

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If you're a contender and you're not having those conversations, it's irresponsible.
An unnamed NBA Executive said

Despite this, contending teams have discussed drafting Bronny as early as the 20s, even if they don’t have the cap space to offer LeBron a max deal. The thought is that the four-time NBA champion might consider signing for the mid-level exception if they drafted his eldest son.

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Furthermore, Bronny’s draft stock is thought to have been boosted by his Draft Combine performance as well as his family connections, as his college stats alone wouldn’t typically warrant a first-round pick. While he has potential, his numbers are similar to those of a freshman who would typically return to college to improve, but, teams are seriously considering the LeBron James factor.

LeBron James won’t leave the Lakers to play with son Bronny 

LeBron James is unlikely to leave the Lakers to join his son Bronny’s team this summer, according to Shams Charania. Despite popular belief in the media, LeBron won’t automatically follow his eldest son to another team just because he got drafted.

It would not surprise me in the coming weeks if a team does reach out to Rich Paul or anyone else around LeBron and says, 'Hey if we draft Bronny James would you come as well?' And the answer to that is going to be no as of right now. That's not a given, it's not something that's going to be pre-ordained.
Shams Charania said on Up & Adams

However, LeBron’s summer plans have been highly anticipated, with many assuming he’d join forces with Bronny before retiring one day. Moreover, priorities have seemed to have changed for both LeBron and Bronny.

LeBron wants to win an NBA championship before retiring and he strongly believes that the Lakers give him the best chance to achieve this. He’s unlikely to leave the Lakers for a team in development mode, as he prioritizes winning over playing with his son.

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