CONFIRM DEAL: Following a call for $78 million and startling trade rumours….
LeBron James’ family may make a case to the Lakers to keep him in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles is “willing to explore the notion” of signing his son Bronny James for the 2024–25 season, despite much discussion about whether James will exercise his $51.4 million (AUD $78 million) player option after this season or reach free agency, according to The Athletic.
According to the story, the Lakers are open to acquiring Bronny, a freshman at USC who can enter the 2024 NBA Draft, because they know it will satisfy LeBron.
LeBron has stated for a long time that his dream is to play in the NBA with his kid. According to The Athletic, clubs understand that if they want to attract his father, they must give Bronny priority.
Although LeBron decided against joining the Warriors prior to the NBA trade deadline this year, the article claims that opposing executives are “increasingly convinced” he wants to leave Hollywood.
Even though LeBron was in the Covid bubble during his second season with the Lakers, the team won a championship, and they haven’t won a conference finals game since.
James, who will turn 40 in December, is still a very skilled player who has the ability to elevate a team to the level of a serious title contender.
Though he’s playing mediocre ball for a horrible USC team, it’s unclear if his son will be selected in this year’s draft.
Bronny, the No. 20 recruit according to ESPN, is averaging 5.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game on the field but is only shooting 35.6%.
He’s not performing like a first-round pick, much less a lottery selection, in terms of sheer productivity.
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Due to a heart arrest in July, Bronny’s debut was postponed until December.
If selecting Bronny implies a package deal with LeBron, organisations will undoubtedly find it more agreeable to utilise a selection on Bronny.
The Lakers may forfeit their first-round selection in favour of New Orleans’ pick or Los Angeles’ 2025 first-round selection in the Anthony Davis trade, but they will still have two second-round selections.
According to The Athletic, the Lakers are also “well-positioned” to bring in elite players this summer, which will undoubtedly improve their chances of keeping LeBron satisfied.
The Lakers (30-26) would qualify for the NBA Play-In Tournament since they presently hold the ninth-best record in the Western Conference.
