This will start with some caveats. First of all, it seems hard to believe that LeBron James would leave tens of millions of dollars on the table to play with Bronny James, but being a professional athlete and having the ability to play with your oldest son seems like a cool thing that could be worth that much money.
Second disclaimer: Here at ArizonaSports.com we don’t like to encourage fan-generated rumors or spread aggregated and twisted information. But the information that exists probably pushes us beyond that territory.
Third Disclaimer: I don’t have any strong opinions on Bronny! I assume, like everyone else, that an undersized athlete with one of the best minds in basketball for a father will improve his questionable shot, play hard and make the right plays well enough to be an NBA contributor, in a few years. That doesn’t exactly line up with what the Suns can afford to risk under their current circumstances.
Fourth disclaimer: This is not a column with a strong opinion beyond “It’s interesting!” They won’t ask you to read between the lines. Your guesses after taking in all this information are as good as mine! The thing is, you can weave some complex conspiracies out of what you’re about to read.
About the information we have at hand.
James, who averaged 4.8 points as a freshman at USC last year after recovering from a serious heart problem, will reportedly work out for the Suns for the second time this week, according to KeynoteUSA’s Jonathan Givony. It’s no longer a shrug that they’re looking at a fringe Draft prospect or doing an agent a favor, like every team does with anyone who doesn’t have a famous dad.
We’re firmly in this territory: either they have a legitimate interest in Bronny James or they’re really doing agent Rich Paul and Klutch Sports a favor.
Bronny James to Suns draft rumors were leaking before Givony news
There was a lot more noise (things we should ignore on their own) in the last few days before we found out about the second training.
“I think Bronny will go to the first round because I think that will be encouraged (by his agency at Klutch),” The Ringer’s Bill Simmons said on his podcast over the weekend. “I encouraged myself to think that if this happens, then this will happen. There are a lot of rumors about Phoenix right now, I’m just going to say it. And I don’t know if it’s real or not.”
Simmons’ podcast partner Ryen Russillo asked him if he thought the Suns wanted to draft Bronny with legitimate interest or if they wanted to play with the Lakers, who have to worry about LeBron James possibly opting out.
There is also a theory that Phoenix, which holds the 22nd pick, and Los Angeles, which holds the 17th pick, are potentially working together with Bronny’s representatives to increase his stock.
“Well, Mat Ishbia has the same media strategist as LeBron and his team, Adam Mendelsohn,” Simmons added. “That makes me a little suspicious. But they seem confident they will select him in the first round. And if you’re Mat Ishbia and the draft sucks, and it’s like we get Bronny, if we take Bronny there’s a chance we get LeBron too, you have to think about that.
“Because I don’t know how many more years LeBron has left, whether it’s one, two or three, whatever, last year he was an All-NBA player. “If that’s your way to get LeBron to play for you (a veteran’s minimum contract), you have to explore it.”
Simmons raises theories and conjectures on his podcasts, but he listens to things. In a podcast on September 22, 2022, it was Simmons who called Mat Ishbia’s name in connection with the sale of the Suns. That was months before news leaked about who was really lining up to buy the team from Robert Sarver.
However, if you immediately raise red flags at anything Simmons hears, there was also this from Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle on the Green Light podcast with Chris Long.
The co-hosts asked Carlisle if the Pacers were going to select James with their picks at No. 49 and No. 50.
“I’m going to go out on a limb and predict it will go a little higher than that,” Carlisle said. “I’m not saying who. I don’t want to receive a call. “I’ve already been fined enough this year during the playoffs.”
By the way, the Pacers also have the 36th overall pick. We assume an NBA head coach wouldn’t telegraph that much information about his team’s own intentions either.
So, to reiterate what we know:
– LeBron James has a $51.4 million player option to remain with the Los Angeles Lakers.
– The Suns, in a world where James would test free agency, would financially be unable to offer him anything more than a veteran minimum contract which, for his veteran status, would be just over $3 million.
– Rich Paul, Bronny’s agent, has only organized training sessions with the Suns and Lakers so far. He is dictating which equipment he wants his client to watch and has suggested to reporters that the James clan wants to control the landing site. Bronny will not sign a two-way deal, Paul has said.
– James reportedly has a second workout with Phoenix this week.
– James is widely considered a late draft prospect, ranking 54th on KeynoteUSA’s big board and 58th on The Ringer.
– NBA circles are whispering to Simmons and a current NBA head coach that Bronny will be drafted significantly higher than his profile says he should be. Just like team names are already being talked about.
Do what you want with this information.
Just prepare for the fringe draft prospect to dominate the news cycle and include the Suns in the discussion until we see what happens on draft day. And if Phoenix drafts or signs Bronny James as an undrafted free agent, then you better start hydrating like hell. As if it wasn’t already hot enough.
Keynote USA
For the Latest Sports News, Follow Keynote USA Sports on Twitter.