(Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers already have LeBron James, but they could also get his firstborn now.
Bronny James’ draft stock has been on the rise over the past couple of weeks.
His strong performance at the NBA Draft Combine, plus the thin and unimpressive draft class, have made him go from potentially undrafted or a second-round pick to a mid-to-late-first-round selection.
And while it seemed like the Lakers would have a tough time finding ways to get him, that’s no longer the case.
According to a report by Jonathan Givony and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the New Orleans Pelicans plan to defer the Lakers’ first-round pick until 2025, thus clearing the way for the Lakers to get Bronny with the No. 17 selection.
ESPN Sources with @DraftExpress: The New Orleans Pelicans are planning to defer the Los Angeles Lakers’ first-round pick until 2025, clearing the way for LA to select 17th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. Pick conditions were part of the Anthony Davis trade in 2019.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 31, 2024
This was the last first-round pick the Lakers owed them from the Anthony Davis trade back in 2019, and the conditions of the transaction gave the Pelicans this power.
This makes sense for New Orleans as well.
As much as they would like to prevent Bronny from playing with his father to get back at the Lakers for that trade, it makes more sense to hold onto that selection for a deeper and significantly better draft class.
The Lakers, on the other hand, aren’t likely to find much value at No. 17 anyway, so they might as well use that pick to get James’ firstborn and make sure he stays put in Los Angeles for the remainder of his career.
Also, the Lakers have a solid player development staff, and it would make sense for Bronny to just stay home.
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