Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has been adamant in wanting to share the floor with his son Bronny before retiring from the NBA.
Can the New York Knicks make that dream scenario a reality for the James duo?
Bobby Marks outlined the Lakers’ draft situation on a recent edition of NBA Today, per Fan Nation’s Geoff Magliocchetti:
“Remember, New Orleans has the Lakers’ first but can defer until 2025. So, if that pick is at 23 or 24 and the Lakers had that, would they take Bronny James to pair up with his dad? But certainly, for those teams up in the lottery, it’s hard for me to see a team picking him just for the lure of getting LeBron there with him.”
Knicks Can Move Mountains to Acquire James Duo in Offseason if Lakers Fail to Do So
The Lakers have the elder James under contract until 2024-25, where he’s set to make $51.41 million before becoming an unrestricted free agent. Prior to this, he can opt to enter restricted free agency this summer, to which the Knicks can make him an offer.
As for his son, the younger James will enter the 2024 NBA Draft, according to multiple reports. He is in the midst of his freshman season at USC, where he’s started off well for the Trojans. In his debut, Bronny scored four points but provided in other areas with three rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
The younger James resembled his father on a chase-down block that had the USC crowd get on their feet. Though he only saw 16 minutes of action, the promising combo guard played with energy, speed and showcased a high basketball IQ.
The Knicks have been in pursuit of a superstar for quite some time, and though the elder James is 38 years old and counting, there may not be a better player to invest in as he comes in a packaged deal with an 18-year-old Bronny that has the potential to be a productive player in the league.
Knicks Will Have 4 Opportunities to Select Bronny James in the 1st Round
The Knicks also have the draft capital to snag Bronny in the first round should they go that route. They own four picks in 2024, two of which are lottery-protected. They’ll get many swings at the younger James even if they defer with their first overall selection.
Currently, the Knicks have a talented triumvirate at shooting guard, with Quentin Grimes, Immanuel Quickley and Donte DiVincenzo all sharing time at the position. However, Grimes has struggled in waves through the first quarter of the year, while Quickley has many factors that could threaten his future with the franchise, opening the door for Bronny to carve out a role in head coach Tom Thibodeau’s lineup.
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So long as the elder James would suit up next to any combination of Julius Randle, Jalen Brunson, and RJ Barrett, he’d strengthen their chances at overcoming a tough Eastern Conference in postseason play.
The likelihood of James leaving Los Angeles seems low, but his history shows that the right opportunity can call for a chance of locale. Should the Knicks whiff on many of their current targets the likes of Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell or Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, moving pieces on the chessboard to reel in James would be worth it.