LeBron James’ determination to play with his son means there is at least a chance he could leave the Lakers if and when Bronny is drafted.
And there are at least two NBA teams who believe James would sign with them if they had Bronny, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
“I know of at least two teams on the NBA map that believe LeBron James would consider signing with them at far less than $51.4 million if Bronny James is on the roster,” Stein wrote. “There might be more.
“Should the Lakers be ultimately faced with that turn of events, they will be doubly glad that they kept their only available first-round pick that could have been traded in-season. The increased optionality they’ll now have in June will certainly come in handy if they suddenly have a LeBron-sized hole to fill.”
However, Bronny getting drafted this summer will rely on him boosting his stock significantly. He has missed some time this season and is averaging just 5.8 points, 3 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 20.8 minutes per game.
To be fair, he is more of a defensive player than an offensive weapon, and has shown promise in that regard. But Bronny does not feature in the top 60 on any prominent mock draft.
If that doesn’t change before the end of the season, expect LeBron’s potential departure to become a 2025 problem for the Lakers rather than an immediate concern.
READ MORE: Inside the Growing Tension Between LeBron James and the Lakers
