Insider: Teams not likely to draft Bronny James for sole purpose of luring LeBron

We’ve heard the talk, some of it from LeBron James himself. OK, most of it started by LeBron James.

It says that LeBron will join any team that selects Bronny James in the NBA Draft, for the sole purpose of getting the chance to play with his son. And that may be true. LeBron may really do that. But we don’t even know when Bronny will declare for the draft, or where he’ll be selected if/when he does.

As you know, Bronny has appeared in just one game as a freshman at USC following a heart scare over the summer. He will be brought along slowly and there is a lot of college basketball to be played between now and the 2024 NBA Draft.

But let’s say Bronny feels he’s ready at the end of the year. Let’s say he declares for the draft. Would a team draft him with the idea of luring LeBron in mind?

ESPN insider Bobby Marks, a former assistant GM with the Brooklyn Nets, said he doesn’t think so.

“It’s hard for me to see that, especially if it’s teams picking in the top 10,” Marks said on NBA Today. “If you look at a team for example, Charlotte, would they pick Bronny James — who maybe some people project (as a) late first-round, early second — with the eighth pick in the draft just for the belief that they can get LeBron James in their building? Teams don’t operate that way. They operate how their (draft) board dictates it.”

But what if you have a late first-rounder?

“What will be interesting is, what if we get to a team drafting in the 20s? Certainly, teams that have multiple picks — you can look at teams like Indiana, the Knicks. Of course, we’re going to be focused on what happens with that Lakers’ first. Remember, New Orleans has the Lakers’ first but can defer to 2025.

“So if that pick is at 23 or 24 and the Lakers have that, would they take Bronny James to pair up with his dad?

“But certainly for those teams up in the lottery, it’s hard for me to see a team picking him just for the lure of getting LeBron there with him.”