Lakers could opt for big NBA Draft plan over selecting Bronny James

The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in a bit of a tricky spot. They failed to advance past the first round of the NBA Playoffs for the third time in the four years since they last won the NBA Championship, and now have LeBron James slated to hit free agency.

While many have assumed LeBron would finish out the remainder of his historic career with the Lakers, his desire to play with his eldest son, Bronny, has recently had insiders thinking otherwise. It's hard to envision LeBron taking his talents to a team with absolutely no chance to win even if they select Bronny in the NBA Draft, but if another contender takes him? LeBron might have a new home.

The desire to keep LeBron in Purple and Gold might force the Lakers to select Bronny with the No. 17 pick of the first round in the NBA Draft, but ESPN's Dave McMenamin says that they could opt for a bigger plan than reaching on Bronny.

Lakers could trade picks for star over selecting Bronny in NBA Draft

"And with the value of that 17 pick—the true value, I should say—being a potential trade asset for the Lakers being able to move three first-round picks on draft night potentially to acquire a big name ready to perform. Someone on the level of a Dejounte Murray or a Trae Young or a Donovan Mitchell. That pick will certainly not be used on anyone if they had their druthers, and it wouldn't be used on Bronny James," said McMenamin, h/t Bleacher Report.

The Lakers have three tradable first-round picks, including No. 17 in the upcoming draft, and that could be enough for them to trade for a star. While three firsts alone probably won't get them a player like Trae Young or Donovan Mitchell, it should certainly be enough for them to get Dejounte Murray, a player that the Atlanta Hawks have shopped.

Whether a Big Three of LeBron, Anthony Davis, and Murray would be enough for the Lakers to win is up for others to decide, but it certainly makes them better now than they'd be if they took Bronny.

While LeBron has expressed his desire to play with Bronny, it doesn't sound like it's a must by any means.

"And quite frankly, if you listen to LeBron's messaging really over about the last year-and-a-half, it hasn't been, 'I need to play with my son.' It's, 'I need to share the NBA court with my son.' And that can happen as opponents."

If the Lakers acquire a third star, that could be what keeps LeBron in Los Angeles. He wants to play with Bronny, but he also wants to win. Adding another star could put the Lakers back in NBA title contention and that could be enough to keep him in Hollywood, especially if the Lakers don't have the right pick to take his son.

"If Bronny James stays in the NBA draft, he's not going to be drafted in the range of 17, and he's going to be off the board by 55."

Taking Bronny at No. 17 would be a reach, but McMenamin believes he'll be off the board by No. 55 if he chooses to remain in the draft. It'll be interesting to see how the Lakers proceed. Keeping LeBron is the goal, but in order to do that, they have to make sure he's happy. If Bronny is unrealistic, pulling off a trade for a star might be the only other way for them to do that.