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Basketball experts have mixed opinions on whether Bronny James, the son of Los Angeles Lakers star forward LeBron James, will make the NBA in 2024 or not.
Some are not convinced that the 6-foot-4 guard's skillset is good enough to sign him to an NBA deal, as he struggled in his first year with the USC Trojans.
Others are saying that he can be used as a pawn to lure "King James" to their team next season.
Bronny James is eligible for 2024 NBA draft
Bronny is eligible to be drafted next summer, but he has not declared yet.
He missed games in his first season with the Trojans due to cardiac arrest and that could be a factor going into draft night as some teams would likely prioritize health over possible potential earnings.
NBA teams would base their draft picks on performance in the NCAA, and the young James has not performed that well during the 2023-24 season.
He has averaged 5.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 20.9 minutes off the bench for the Trojans, who are currently 9-15 in this year's tournament. Based on his performance with USC, he is not a first-round caliber player.
Several NBA executives and scouts have voiced their opinion on Bronny and suggested that he should declare for the draft next year to polish his skills:
"Everybody wants him to be LeBron, and he's never going to be LeBron. But he is a good team guy and he can defend and make shots. He's a decent ball handler. He's a solid player and a great kid," an NBA executive told Fox Sports' Ric Bucher.
Bronny projected as late first-round or second-rounder depending on LeBron's next move
NBA draft experts are having some mixed thoughts on what round Bronny might be picked. Some project him to be a mid-to-late first-round pick earlier in the season, but he could be picked in the second round depending on the amount of talent that will declare for the draft this summer.
Another potential scenario would depend on his father, who has a $51.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season.
There are rumors that LeBron could decline the option to become an unrestricted free agent and sign with a team that will take the risk to draft or sign Bronny:
"I know of at least two teams on the NBA map that believe LeBron James would consider signing with them at far less than $51.4 million if Bronny James is on that roster. And there might be more teams," NBA insider Marc Stein said.
LeBron's current team, the Lakers, is reportedly set to offer a family pitch to make him stay in LA. According to The Athletic, the Lakers organization is "willing to explore the notion of adding Bronny for the 2024-25 season.
Various mock drafts are considered not "too friendly" with Bronny, with the NBA Draft Room website throwing him out of the first round. Worse, Bleacher Report and ESPN project him as an undrafted free agent if the draft were to begin today.
Are mock drafts right about not including Bronny James in the first round? Let us know in the comments section.
