LeBron James has stated in the past that he would want to play with his son, Bronny, in the NBA. It has led to talk of the Los Angeles Lakers needing to draft him to ensure LeBron doesn’t leave, but NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski isn’t sure they’d be the right destination for the 19-year-old.
“There’s two ways to look at that,” Wojnarowski said on NBA Today. “Yeah, trying to get him drafted by the Lakers or is there a situation for a young player, going to a team that is more of a developmental team that develops players? The Lakers are not a developmental program, they are a win-now program. So, what’s going to be best for Bronny James? What he wants, what they want as an organization.”
Wojnarowski says he doesn’t think that the Lakers not drafting Bronny would definitely lead to LeBron, who has a player option for the 2024-25 season, leaving the team.
“I don’t know if it’s as cut and dry as all of it is around the idea of whether he can play with him or not,” Wojnarowski continued. “I’m not sure that’s all that’s at stake here. Maybe it’s a factor but I do think for Bronny James — if he’s out this year — the idea of what’s the best place for him too.”
"The Lakers are not a developmental program, they are a win-now program."
—@wojespn on the potential of Bronny James being drafted to the Lakers 👀 pic.twitter.com/tdljCBexM7
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) January 22, 2024
What’s best for Bronny’s NBA career, would be to go to a team where he gets time on the court to develop. The Lakers, in my opinion, won’t be that team and neither would any other contender for that matter. If he does declare for the 2024 Draft, I think Bronny would be better off playing for a rebuilding team where he is allowed to make mistakes and grow from them.
He is currently averaging just 5.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 0.8 steals per game for USC this season. It’s just going to take Bronny a fair bit of time to get up to speed following that cardiac arrest last year, and whichever team drafts him is going to have to be very patient with him.
LeBron James Wouldn’t Mind If Bronny Doesn’t Want To Play With Him
While LeBron has openly spoken about his desire for father and son to play together, he isn’t going to force the teenager to go along with his goals. James said he doesn’t mind if Bronny doesn’t want to play with him in the NBA.
“I’ve done what I’ve had to do in this league, and my son is going to take his journey,” James said, as per ESPN. “And whatever his journey, however his journey lays out, he’s going to do what’s best for him.
“And as his dad, and his mom, Savannah, and his brother and sister, we’re going to support him in whatever he decides to do. So, just because that’s my aspiration or my goal, doesn’t mean it’s his. And I’m absolutely OK with that.”
It is great that LeBron will respect his son’s wishes on the matter and that is absolutely the right thing to do. This will just come down to what Bronny wants at the end of the day. Does he just want to play with his father, which would be an incredible experience, or go to a rebuilding team which, in my opinion, would be a better long-term move for his career?
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