Could Atlanta Hawks general manager Landry Fields choose Bronny James with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 NBA draft, in an attempt to bring LeBron James to Atlanta? This is the kind of question which is surfacing in pre-draft speculation. You might have seen that the Utah Jazz have been linked to Bronny James, as well as the Phoenix Suns and a few teams other than LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers. These other teams don’t seem even remotely likely to be in the mix for Bronny or LeBron. The tidal wave of speculation and leaking creates the idea that teams want to send smokescreens that might cause other teams to overreact or show their hand. Planting a Bronny James rumor might lead another team to change its thought process or make a move which might create an opening for the team which initially created the rumor.
Bronny James averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists for the USC Trojans last season and is currently ranked as the No. 54 prospect in the 2024 draft class by Draft Express.
"People love [Bronny's] attitude, his enthusiasm, the way he understands what type of player that he is." @DraftExpress ranks Bronny James No. 54 in his latest 2024 NBA Mock Draft 🏀 📈 pic.twitter.com/snYC1iHlJt
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 16, 2024
One month before the event, a noticeable percentage of all bets on the No. 1 overall pick of the NBA draft are on James. That’s tied with Alexandre Sarr, the 7-foot-1 French center who is widely expected to go first overall.
LeBron James can become an unrestricted free agent and has voiced his desire to play alongside his son, if that is his wish. However, the younger James has said he wants to forge his own NBA path. Nobody inside the industry expects James to go first overall. Sarr is the consensus choice.
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