While LeBron James set the standard for pre-NBA expectations and excitement, his son Bronny, may end up giving him a run for his money. Not only because NBA scouts are enticed by his pedigree and prospectus as a pro, but also because if he comes out of USC after this season, there is a very high chance that landing him means that you get LeBron himself too, as he’s clearly indicated that he’d like to play with his son.
Let’s take a look around the NBA at 10 teams that could land the James men next season.
Chicago Bulls
LeBron has spent much of his career essentially chasing ghosts. Michael Jordan is the only other player who has a resume worthy of going head-to-head with James and unfortunately for LeBron, MJ also has this sort of mythological mystique to him as well from going six for six in the NBA Finals… So what can LeBron do to combat that? How about going to the Windy City with his son and trying to rewrite history and take the Bulls back to prominence?
Cleveland Cavaliers
Back where it all started! Just when you thought that there couldn’t be a more compelling storyline than when LeBron returned to Cleveland to lead the Cavs to their first championship (after, of course, his unceremonious departure) how about this… LeBron James and his son pair up in The Land together next year. Father and son teaming up in his home city where he started his career? That is straight out of a Hallmark movie!
Cleveland has a young talented core headlined by Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell, who is to say that an admittedly aging LeBron isn’t the piece to put them over the edge? There are obviously some risks in opening up a youthful team like that to the fanfare and media firestorm that would come with a LeBron and Bronny acquisition, but basketball aside, the amount of money that it would generate for the franchise and the city, would have to be enticing to the Cavs front office. LeBron would have to likely take a discount—at least compared to what he stands to make with the Lakers, but money isn’t everything to James at this point in his life. He’s got more than enough to save for a rainy day.
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Miami Heat
Who is to say that LeBron and Bronny don’t want to take their talents down to South Beach for another run at glory with Erik Spoelstra and Pat Riley?
The Miami Heat, where LeBron won two of his NBA Championships, has a strong connection to the James family. Under the leadership of Riley and Spoelstra, the Heat have developed an undeniable culture of hard work, discipline, and winning—values that align well with what LeBron would want to ingratiate his son into. The Heat’s competitive environment and their knack for developing young talents could offer Bronny a great place to grow alongside his father’s tutelage. Plus, the warm weather and electricity of Miami would likely be appealing factors for the rest of the family.
New York Knicks
If there is one thing that appeals to LeBron James besides winning and money—it is basketball history. James has long held “The Mecca” formally known as Madison Square Garden in high regard and this could be a nice two-for-one check-off on his basketball bucket list. Not only would he get to play with his son, but he would do so in one of the most historic venues the game has to offer.
The luster of a LeBron acquisition would likely be somewhat stifled at this point in his career compared to a few years ago, but the Knicks have a roster that could use his skill set. He would add much-needed length alongside Jalen Brunson. New York also has the big city feel that the James family seems to be drawn to.
Sacramento Kings
This one is a little bit off the beaten path, but don’t be shocked if you see LeBron James stay in state, but venture out to Sacramento to kick off this father-son adventure. The Kings offer a chance for LeBron and Bronny to carve out a new legacy. The team has been building a young and exciting core, and the addition of the James duo could propel them further into contention. It is sort of a low-risk, high-reward proposition because the Kings don’t have the championship pedigree of the Heat or Lakers… If James can somehow get them into serious title contention that would be an amazing storyline to run in parallel with him and Bronny teaming up.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers, where LeBron currently plays, present a comfortable option for the James family. With the James family already well-established in LA and the Lakers being one of the most storied franchises in NBA history, the allure of continuing the James legacy in purple and gold is strong. Especially when you factor in that Bronny is just down the street at USC.
The Lakers are also the perfect franchise for this kind of arrangement. The Bus family knows an opportunity when they see it and I would be shocked if they haven’t been super direct with James about their willingness to create a conducive environment for him and Bronny to play together. The city’s spotlight and the team’s resources would offer Bronny an excellent platform to start his NBA career. Plus, the fact that LeBron himself can just opt into a massive extension has to be somewhat appealing.
Oklahoma City Thunder
While some Oklahoma City fans may still have a bad taste in their mouth about LeBron because of the way he dispatched Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and that insanely talented, but young Thunder team in the finals a decade ago, but you have to think that they would welcome the James men to town with welcome arms. OKC has turned into a phenomenal organization, especially from a player development perspective, and it could be a great place for Bronny to start his pro career. The Thunder also have enough talent on their roster now to entice LeBron’s competitive spirit—as they would be able to legitimately contend for a title.
Los Angeles Clippers
Lakers fans may not like to hear this, but there is a very serious chance that LeBron will decide not to pack his bags, but to change uniforms and join the Clippers next season, alongside his son. This would allow him to stay in Los Angeles and keep his family in the same city and join another competitive roster. The other enticing part of this equation for James is that he could be the missing piece to a Clippers title run and bringing a title to the younger brother franchise, with his son no-less, would be a very exciting proposition.
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors, yes, are another dark horse contender to land LeBron and Bronny next year, but they remain a contender nonetheless. Playing in Toronto may not seem like an exciting proposition at first, but they are an international market and would give James a chance to further expand his brand. Beyond the marketing appeal, the Raptors have proven to have built a strong organizational culture under Masai Ujiri.
Ujiri, likewise, has shown that he has the ability to make things happen—a la—when he traded for Kawhai Leonard and stole a championship right out from under the reigning champion Golden State Warriors in 2019. The Raptors are a wild card, but it would be exciting to see the father-and-son team up together up north!
Dallas Mavericks
While Mark Cuban may have sold his majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks, he still has a fairly large percentage of ownership in the franchise, which is believed to be around 27%. He is one of the few owners in the league that has the juice to excite LeBron James and his family. Cuban has been one of the most involved figures in not just the development of his franchise, but also the league as a whole, as he was an early adopter and believer in the NBA as a sleeping giant.
Looking beyond Cuban, this would give LeBron a chance to mend ties officially with Kyrie Irving, something that Kyrie might be particularly interested in because now James’s actual son will be on the team and he won’t have to worry about LeBron trying to cosplay as his dad.
Lastly, Luka is starting to look like a truly generational talent and you have to think that LeBron would be enticed by the proposition of bringing Bronny into the fold with him.
