Super Team, Supernova: Suns are really, truly interested in drafting Bronny James

USC freshman Bronny James is officially keeping his name in the 2024 NBA Draft. After putting together a strong Combine performance and receiving full medical clearance, the son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is categorically on draft boards. Where there was once doubt, there now appears to be a measure of certainty. Bronny has convinced scouts that he is the real deal.

There are layers to the "real deal" debate, of course. Most reasonable folks view James as a second-round prospect. He still averaged 4.8 points on 36.7 percent shooting as a freshman, which is hardly a compelling resumé. Health and poor team construction inhibited Bronny, but he also struggled to convert open 3s or assuage concerns about his limitations as a ball-handler.

James has shot well in pre-draft workouts, though, and his much better high school tape still carries weight. With James picking up momentum at the right time, Klutch Sports is being very purposeful with its pre-draft planning. As of now, Bronny is slated to work out for two teams — the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns. He reportedly turned down 10 other teams.

That is a bold move for a mid-to-late second round pick, but this is a weak draft and Bronny obviously comes with extra baggage (fair or not) as the son of the NBA's GOAT. The Suns are a particularly fascinating inclusion on James' shortlist because Phoenix does not own a second-round pick — only their first-round pick at No. 22 overall. That is way too high for Bronny, but we are talking about Mat Ishbia and the Suns. Anything is on the table.

Initial reporting from Doug Haller of The Athletic suggested that Phoenix's interest in Bronny was tied to a desire to lure LeBron Sr. to the Valley. That may still be the case on some level, but according to Shams Charania in a recent appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, the Suns' interest in Bronny is actually centered on Bronny the player, not Bronny the bargaining chip.

Suns interested in drafting Bronny James because of fit, not his father

Now... this sure does sound like agents and front offices controlling the narrative, if only because it's so hard to believe. James does ostensibly "fit" the Suns' needs — he's a lockdown perimeter defender with connective passing chops and a theoretical jumper — but he's a fringe second-round prospect with a lot to prove. There will be better "fits" available to Phoenix at No. 22, and there's a reason James is not being discussed as a potential first-round pick for any other team.

Are the Suns really so in love with Bronny the player? Mat Ishbia has been the most hands-on owner in basketball since taking over the franchise. He spearheaded the Suns' all-in trade for Bradley Beal. He liquidated Phoenix's future assets in an effort to build the ultimate winner. He has spoken publicly about not really wanting to develop rookies if win-now pieces are available. It sounds more plausible — at least from the warped perspective of a delusional front office — to use the No. 22 pick as a bargaining chip to attract the best player of a generation. There is simply no way the Suns believe Bronny James, in a vacuum, might be their best option in that spot... right?

What is clear, beyond a shadow of a doubt, is that Phoenix's front office is among the worst in basketball. Ishbia has been involved to a fault. It's never a good sign when the owner is determined to leave his fingerprints on every move the organization makes. The NBA is, of course, a business at the end of the day. Ishibia is a businessman, and Bronny is a fascinating business proposition. That could be at the heart of this reported interest. That's not fair to Bronny, but it's the nature of the game.

For what it's worth, Bronny did test extremely well at the Combine and he has said all the right things in interviews. He's a smart, introspective kid who appears to have his finger on the pulse. He's not setting outlandish expectations and, in such a weak draft, maybe this is the year to throw away your first-round pick on a prayer and a name. The Suns need cheap, affordable depth more than just about every team, but maybe Bronny pans out. It's certainly not impossible.