The 2024 NBA Draft begins Wednesday, and much of the spotlight will be on USC’s Bronny James.
While James — the 19-year-old son of the NBA’s all-time leading scorer LeBron James — isn’t projected to be a first-round pick, there’s still a decent chance he’ll be selected at some point during Thursday’s second round.
The 6-foot-1 guard only averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists and shot 36.6% from the floor and 26.7% shooting from three-point range in 25 games for the Trojans. However, Bronny missed the start of his freshman season after suffering a cardiac arrest last summer. Despite his lackluster stats, Bronny has a high basketball IQ and strong defensive instincts that could help him carve out a role in the NBA.
Bronny has been linked to five teams in the pre-draft process but only worked out for his father’s Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns. With that in mind, we’re ranking the teams interested in Bronny based on their fit with him. Teams are ranked from least to most likely to select him.
5. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves, who own the 27th and 37th overall selections, are among the teams Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul recently told ESPN that have an interest in drafting Bronny. (Paul also represents LeBron James.) However, the agent is skeptical of Bronny’s fit with Minnesota because of the uncertainty surrounding the sale of the franchise.
That’s a valid concern, but Bronny to Minnesota doesn’t make much sense from a basketball standpoint either — unless the Timberwolves desperately wish to increase attendance of their G League affiliate Iowa Wolves.
Minnesota is coming off its second-best season in franchise history, and while Bronny has the defensive tenacity the team covets, it’s doubtful he’d be able to crack the rotation anytime soon, if at all. The Timberwolves were one of the NBA’s deepest teams last season, and they’ll likely spend the offseason attempting to re-sign key reserves such as Jordan McLaughlin and Monte Morris.
If Minnesota drafts Bronny and retains McLaughlin and Morris, the former Trojan wouldn’t see much playing time for the first two to three seasons of his career.
4. Dallas Mavericks
If the Lakers don’t select Bronny, Paul told ESPN that Dallas would draft the guard 58th overall due to his personal ties to GM Nico Harrison and give him a fully guaranteed contract.
Dante Exum, a draft bust for the Utah Jazz, became a revelation for the Mavericks during his return to the NBA this past season, averaging 7.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists. While Exum impressed and is under contract for next season, he’s not necessarily a long-term answer at backup point guard, thus making Bronny an intriguing prospect for Dallas.
Even if Bronny can’t handle the responsibilities of being a lead ball handler at the NBA level, his skill set already fits the mold of what Dallas looks for in its role players. If his defense translates to the Association and he can improve his three-point shooting, Bronny would be a perfect match for Luka Doncic’s style of play.
3. Los Angeles Lakers
Bronny and LeBron teaming up (assuming the 20-time All-Star returns to Los Angeles next season) would be just as compelling a story as it would be a distraction. Even so, the Lakers can provide Bronny with an opportunity not many teams can: a legitimate shot at eventually earning playing time.
Los Angeles must upgrade its bench this offseason, as the unit averaged the third-fewest points among teams in the regular season (28.4) and ranked last in that department during the playoffs (12 ppg). Although Bronny probably can’t contribute much scoring, especially during his first NBA season, his playmaking ability would allow him to create open looks for Lakers reserves and, in turn, help the bench improve on those marks.
Still, Los Angeles will have to acquire better three-point shooters to fully maximize Bronny’s skill set, which won’t be easy. According to Spotrac, the Lakers are 26th in projected practical cap space (-$82.9M), so it’s unlikely that they can make significant acquisitions to bolster the bench in free agency. Spending the 55th overall pick on Bronny and the 17th pick on his USC teammate Isaiah Collier might be the best course for Los Angeles.
2. Phoenix Suns
Phoenix is facing a similar dilemma as the Lakers. The Suns lack quality depth after committing most of their cap space to their stars, and there’s no clear answer for how to solve this issue. Last season, the Suns scored the fewest bench points among teams (2,179), and relying on the reserves in the playoffs greatly contributed to their first-round exit.
Bronny probably wouldn’t elevate the ceiling of Phoenix’s roster, but he would undoubtedly raise the team’s floor. With no true point guard on the team, Bronny could earn a sizable role for the Suns while being able to learn under Hall of Fame talents Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.
Nonetheless, even though the Suns are one of the better fits for James, it’s simply unrealistic that he will land in Phoenix. The Suns only own one selection in the 2024 draft — No. 22 overall — after losing a second-round pick for engaging in early free-agency discussions with Drew Eubanks last offseason. Taking Bronny 22nd overall would be a massive reach, and if Phoenix traded down to acquire him, it’d be an irresponsible move by the front office.
1. Toronto Raptors
Perhaps the highest pick Bronny could be taken with is Toronto’s 31st overall selection. The Raptors make sense as a landing spot for Bronny for myriad reasons, though none more important than being able to truly be a trusted piece of a young core.
Bronny probably wouldn’t see much action for the early part of his career if he’s selected by a team with a playoff-caliber roster. Fortunately for James, the Raptors are entering the first true season of their rebuilding process, which could give him an opportunity to develop in a more relaxed situation where results aren’t needed for some time.
Toronto has already established its backcourt of the future in Immanuel Quickley and Gradey Dick, but it has arguably the worst guard depth in the Association. If he can outperform Javon Freeman-Liberty, who averaged just seven points and 1.8 assists in 22 games last season, Bronny could take over as Toronto’s backup point guard as a rookie.
Also, a defensive-minded player such as Bronny might be the archetype of guard Toronto should pursue this offseason. After all, it ranked 29th in team defensive rating (121.5) after trading OG Anunoby to New York last December.
