NBA rumors: Lakers don't sound interested in drafting Bronny James

Bronny James is expected to garner consideration for a spot in the 2024 NBA Draft. He is, of course, the eldest son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James. With LeBron currently in his 21st NBA season, there has been much speculation about what the future holds for the 39-year-old forward. James considered retirement last summer, but now he's on the verge of potentially playing with — or against — his son.

LeBron has long floated the possibility of leaving Los Angeles to play alongside his son. The Lakers could theoretically target Bronny in the draft, encouraging James to finish his career in a Lakers uniform. The 19-time All-Star is about to enter free agency. Just about every team would love to roster LeBron, especially if he signs at a discount to finish his career with family.

The Lakers currently own the Los Angeles Clippers' second-round pick, which would convey as No. 54 overall. That's it. Bronny's draft stock fluctuates depending on where you look — he's a first-round prospect here at FanSided, but ESPN doesn't have him top 100. In many ways, Bronny is a perfect microcosm for the 2024 draft.

There isn't a ton of established top-end talent, which could lead teams to riskier picks. Bronny has struggled since returning to the USC lineup — 5.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists on .381/.250/.643 splits — but he's a talented perimeter defender with the passing chops and basketball I.Q. teams want in a connective wing. He is also LeBron James' son, and the slightest possibility of luring 'The King' to a random NBA city, even for just one season, is enough to embolden most front offices.

For the Lakers, however, it would appear Bronny James is not front of mind.

Lakers uninterested in developing Bronny James

"The Lakers are not a developmental program, they are a win-now program," said ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

It would appear Bronny to the Lakers is far from a guarantee. Not only are the Lakers short on available draft picks, but Los Angeles probably isn't the best spot for a young player to develop. Per Woj, the focus isn't entirely on if LeBron can play with Bronny. Instead, there is an emphasis on Bronny going to a place where he is well positioned for success.

That said, it's not hard to detect the relative unease settling over the Lakers fanbase. Los Angeles has struggled this season, currently 22-23 and ninth in the Western Conference. If the Lakers were a bonafide contender, that would be one thing. But, it could be more challenging to convince LeBron to stick around if the team can't win games. Especially if the opportunity to play with Bronny presents itself.

James has enough leverage to force the Lakers' hand. If he says, point blank, "draft Bronny or I'm leaving," well... the Lakers would probably put resources into selecting Bronny. If James doesn't not push that point, however, there's no reason to expect the Lakers to seriously consider the USC two-guard. Bronny James is on draft boards, but he's a relatively unproven commodity — at least in college — and the Lakers aren't focused on youth.

Woj's comments are a bit misguided, of course, as veteran teams still need to prioritize player development. There are plenty of rookies playing key roles on contenders right now. Chet Holmgren, Jaime Jaquez, Andre Jackson, and Dereck Lively all came from different draft tiers. All four get regular minutes on winning teams.

But, the point is simple. Los Angeles doesn't have the ammo or the motivation to guarantee Bronny James wears a Laker uniform a year from now. That could change. A lot of it might depend on Bronny and his improvement arc at USC. But, as LeBron's free agency gets closer, expect to hear more about what exactly the plans are for Bronny's NBA future.