Will the Lakers draft Bronny James? Here’s where the betting value lies for his NBA landing spot

One of the main talking points surrounding next week’s NBA Draft is the destination of LeBron James’s son, Bronny, despite the fact that he will probably be a late-first or second-round pick.

LeBron had previously stated that he wanted to play with Bronny, but now it seems that Bronny’s destination will not necessarily be a deal-maker for LeBron, whose agent has made it clear that his client will not be taking a minimum deal somewhere just to play with his son.

While LeBron could have had a change of heart, believing that there would be a better opportunity to team up with his son down the road, it is entirely possible that this dialogue is attempting to serve as smoke and mirrors to help guide Bronny to a contender that he would want to join in free agency.

Let’s dive into the possibilities for Bronny’s draft position, including which teams could draft him to try and lure LeBron away from the Lakers.

First, let’s address the likelihood that Bronny James is drafted by a team at all. The general consensus with the former USC guard is that he’s not ready for the NBA and will probably spend nearly all of his first season in the G-League, regardless of whether he is drafted or not.

Before the start of his freshman season, James was labeled a five-star recruit and a potential first-round draft pick, falling in the mid-to-late teens and 20s in most credible mock drafts. Now, most people believe that if his last name weren’t James, he would not be drafted at all.

James missed a portion of the start of the 2023-24 regular season due to suffering a cardiac arrest in the summer. This serious medical issue sidelined him from the end of July until mid-December when he was finally able to take the court for the USC Trojans.

Bronny understandably struggled throughout the year adjusting to the collegiate game, but much like his initial ranking, there has been an overreaction in the opposite direction, with many believing he does not deserve to be drafted.

The reality lies somewhere in between, and NBA organizations have all of the resources available to reach this conclusion; his objective value probably sits somewhere in the second round.

Odds via FanDuel

» READ MORE: Back the Knicks and Grizzlies as long shots to win the 2025 NBA title

Bronny’s agent, Rich Paul, has a history of getting his clients where they want to go in the draft. Currently, Bronny has only worked out individually for the Lakers and Suns, who are unsurprisingly the odds favorites to select him in the draft.

Paul also mentioned that Minnesota, Dallas, and Toronto are teams “that love Bronny,” so it is not out of the realm of possibility for those organizations to take a swing on him in hopes of luring LeBron, too.

Still, it seems that the four teams with the highest probability of taking Bronny in the draft are the Lakers, Suns, Mavericks and 76ers. The Lakers make sense because LeBron has an upcoming player option, and if they draft Bronny, there would be little reason for him to leave; playing in the NBA with his son is virtually the only thing he has yet to accomplish.

The Suns could try to draft Bronny to lure LeBron to Phoenix on a cheap deal to join forces with not only his son but Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. This seems unlikely, though, as Paul has confidently stated that LeBron will not take a minimum deal elsewhere.

Dallas and Philadelphia are long shots, but interesting ones. Mavericks GM Nico Harrison has close ties with Bronny and the James family, and a trio of Kyrie Irving, whom LeBron has recently praised as the “most gifted player… ever,” Luka Doncic and James would be eye-popping.

The Sixers also have a talented, win-now roster that could make noise in a weaker Eastern Conference. If James opts to join Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, Philly would instantly be the second favorite in the East, behind Boston. James has been connected to Philadelphia in the past, and many believe he could be a strong fit with the Sixers.

Ultimately, betting on the Lakers to draft Bronny makes the most sense at +125 on FanDuel. However, sprinkling a bit on long shots like Dallas (+750) and Philadelphia (+3000) could also be intriguing.

The Inquirer is not an online gambling operator, or a gambling site. We provide this information about sports betting for entertainment purposes only.