Non-Lakers suitor emerges for Bronny James in the NBA Draft

Bronny James, the son of NBA legend and future Hall-of-Famer LeBron James may be on his way to the NBA this coming summer.

Bronny is one of the most mysterious prospects at the NBA Draft Combine, and the basketball world is anxiously awaiting to see what he can do if drafted by an NBA team. Many have theorized that the Los Angeles Lakers would draft him so as to make it easier to re-sign LeBron. At one point he was seen as a surefire lottery pick but health concerns and a disastrous season at USC have tanked his draft stock.

However, there are other teams that have emerged in the sweepstakes. Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports reported that the Utah Jazz had expressed interest in inviting Bronny for an individual workout.

Jazz could be interested in Bronny James

The Jazz have the No. 32 pick in the NBA Draft, and they are a team that has been rebuilding with Danny Ainge now in charge of their basketball operations.

Perhaps if they end up drafting Bronny in the second round, they could have the clearance to potentially go after LeBron and accelerate the process of returning to contention. A pairing of LeBron and Lauri Markkanen would make the Jazz a devastating foe for any Western Conference opponents.

Bronny's draft stock was certainly hurt this past season after he suffered from cardiac arrest in July. That incident put his season on hold and when he returned, he wasn't a starter with USC. The 19-year-old guard averaged 4.8 points per game, 2.1 assists, and 2.8 rebounds in the 25 games he appeared in. He also averaged just 19.4 minutes per game.

Still, he's an intriguing option as a second-round pick, and the Jazz could potentially start the process of improving their roster just by drafting him. Of course, a lot depends on what happens with LeBron and if he'll decide to actually join the Jazz should they draft his son. But even without LeBron, Bronny could make sense for the Jazz with his two-way potential.

The Jazz of course are not the only team that could show interest in Bronny. The Lakers are still a possibility, as are the Miami Heat, one of LeBron's former teams. The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder were also listed as potential suitors.

There is also a strong possibility that Bronny ends up not playing with his father. Based on recent comments, it would seem that this is not a scenario he wants to entertain.

"Honestly, I feel like this is a serious business," said Bronny. 'I don't think there would be a thought of 'I'm just drafting this kid because I'm going to get his dad.' I don't think a GM would really allow that. I think I've put in the work and if I get drafted it'll be because of not only the player but also the person I am."