LeBron James and Bronny James have been the center of rumors all off-season.
The Los Angeles Lakers star is getting set to watch his son likely get picked at the NBA Draft later this month, which could let the world know where he may be headed in free agency.
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons revealed this week that the Los Angeles Lakers are no longer the frontrunners to keep LeBron James, as he may opt out of his deal and join the Phoenix Suns.
“There’s a lot of Phoenix buzz right now; I’m just going to say it. And I don’t know if it’s real or not,” Simmons said on his titular podcast.
If LeBron has plans to go to the Suns, it means the team might be drafting Bronny.
“I think Bronny is going to go in the first round because I think… I think that’s going to be encouraged,” Simmons continued.
Co-host Ryen Russilo added to the conversation by asking whether the NBA or James’ Agency at Klutch Sports would encourage that.
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“Encouraged in a way like, ‘if this happens, then this will happen,” Simmons continued. “[Suns owner] Mat Ishbia has the same media strategist that LeBron and his camp has, Adam Mendelsohn. That makes me a little suspicious.”
Unless something changes with a trade, the Suns currently own the No. 22 pick in the first round of the draft.
“[Klutch Sports] seem really confident that he is getting drafted in the first round,” Simmons continued. “And if you’re Mat Ishbia and the draft sucks, and it’s like let’s get Bronny, and they’re telling us that if we take Bronny, there’s a chance that we can get LeBron too, you have to think about it.
“I don’t know how many more years LeBron has left; it’s one, it’s two, it’s three; whatever, he was an All-NBA guy last year… you’ve gotta explore it.”
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LeBron James’ Agent Seemingly Squashes Suns Rumors
LeBron’s future with the Los Angeles Lakers remains up in the air. He will decide whether to opt in to the final year of his contract or opt out and either sign an extension or test free agency.
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons added to rumors by stating LeBron could opt out and sign with the Phoenix Suns while drafting Bronny.
However, the agent for both LeBron and Bronny, Rich Paul, threw cold water to the rumors as he came out and said that playing with his son is no longer a priority for James and he certainly will not be going to Phoenix on a minimum deal.
Via Jonathan Givony of ESPN:
“LeBron is off this idea of having to play with Bronny,” Paul told ESPN on Wednesday. “If he does, he does. But if he doesn’t, he doesn’t. There’s no deal made that it’s guaranteed that if the Lakers draft Bronny at 55, he (LeBron) will resign. If that was the case, I would force them to take him at 17. We don’t need leverage. The Lakers can draft Bronny, and LeBron doesn’t resign. LeBron is also not going to Phoenix for a minimum deal. We can squash that now.”
James signing with the Suns means he would forgo $150 million over three years and take less than $3 million per year with Phoenix.
