Bronny James Has the Interest of Surprise Championship Contender
It looks as though it’s nearly a certainty that Bronny James will be drafted at this point.
The Dallas Mavericks reportedly have interest in selecting James with their No. 58 overall pick (the final pick in the NBA Draft), according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
Included in Stein’s reporting is an admission from the Mavericks that they know it’s “extremely unlikely” that James lasts that long. But their reported interest in him could wind up further forcing LA’s hand.
Reported Interest in James Means Lakers Must Pull Trigger at No. 55
LA has been linked to James for obvious reasons, and it’s felt almost inevitable he’ll be a Laker since he canceled workouts with every team except the Lakers and Suns.
Now with Dallas eyeing James, it’s clear that LA will miss out on him if they don’t select him at No. 55.
“The Mavericks could instead be seeking to add James because they believe the shotmaking he displayed during the NBA Scouting Combine and defensive skills he demonstrated at USC indicate he could eventually develop into an NBA-ready player,” according to Bleacher Report.
It's possible that Dallas is interested in Bronny for the chance that they could also land LeBron, but their reasoning doesn't really matter as much as the fact that they're now a new team that has interest.
Stephen A. Smith is hearing that the Mavericks have interest in drafting Bronny James
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 15, 2024
“But here’s a newsflash, what I’ve also heard. Bronny James may not make it to the Lakers’ second round pick. Because if a team like the Dallas Mavericks could position themselves to get him in… pic.twitter.com/zo5Y6tAoko
LeBron could bolt from LA this summer thanks to a player option for the 2024-25 season that he must decide on by June 29 (just two days after the draft), and it seems like the Lakers will have no other choice but to select his son to make him happy.
This could even mean trading up to select James if more reports of interest in him emerge in the coming days.
Of course, this could be Dallas’s attempt to put pressure on LA to select James – and not a different player they also have interest in – but this report now makes not selecting Bronny a risky proposition, regardless of the Mavericks' true intentions.
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