Guest of the League
Trust The Process
Offseason | NBA Week 26

Lakers favored to draft Bronny James, but are rivals circling?

Wed May 29 11:35pm ET
Field Level Media

Let the rumor games begin in earnest.

Bronny James is staying in the 2024 NBA Draft, adding a massive layer of intrigue despite not being projected as a first-round pick, much less a lottery selection.

LeBron James has seemingly backed off previous statements that his hope is to play with his son in the NBA. Is that posturing, or would The King truly be satisfied with potentially playing opposite Bronny a few times a year?

The next month promises to bring smoke screens and rumor mongering at the highest NBA level.


LeBron James is expected to opt out of his current contract before the June 29 deadline, regardless of whether he plans to return to the Los Angeles Lakers. The question is whether he will use that as leverage to make sure that he winds up playing alongside -- not opposite -- Bronny, regardless of whether he calls Crypto.com Arena home next season.

At least one sportsbook is offering odds on each of the potential 30 NBA teams drafting Bronny James.

TEAM TO DRAFT BRONNY JAMES*

Los Angeles Lakers (2/3)

Phoenix Suns (2/1)

New York Knicks (16/1)

Los Angeles Clippers (18/1)

Cleveland Cavaliers (20/1)

Philadelphia 76ers (20/1)

Memphis Grizzlies (22/1)

Miami Heat (22/1)

Chicago Bulls (25/1)

Milwaukee Bucks (25/1)

Atlanta Hawks (28/1)

Dallas Mavericks (28/1)

Oklahoma City Thunder (28/1)

San Antonio Spurs (28/1)

Golden State Warriors (33/1)

Utah Jazz (33/1)

Boston Celtics (40/1)

Denver Nuggets (40/1)

Houston Rockets (40/1)

Minnesota Timberwolves (40/1)

New Orleans Pelicans (40/1)

Portland Trail Blazers (40/1)

Sacramento Kings (40/1)

Toronto Raptors (40/1)

Orlando Magic (45/1)

Brooklyn Nets (50/1)

Detroit Pistons (50/1)

Indiana Pacers (50/1)

Washington Wizards (50/1)

Charlotte Hornets (66/1)

*Odds provided by SportsBetting.ag for informational purposes only.

On the surface, the Lakers are the perfect landing spot. LeBron James clearly loves playing for the purple and gold, and teaming with Bronny in Hollywood would be a marketing grand slam.

The problem is the Lakers currently hold the Nos. 17 and 55 picks in the June 26 draft (though the New Orleans Pelicans have the option of taking the Lakers' first-round pick either this draft or next). Bronny James, 19, isn't viewed as a mid-first-round prospect by most analysts, but there are no shortage of teams that might look to take a flier on him before No. 55.

That's why most of the teams with the next-shortest odds to draft Bronny James have also been mentioned as potential suitors for LeBron if he's open to another change of NBA addresses.

The Phoenix Suns, who own the No. 22 pick, are scheduled to work out Bronny James.

Thickening the plot, Suns general manager James Jones played with LeBron James in Cleveland and Miami. Could Jones make a play to add the James duo to a core that includes Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal?

Phoenix currently has +1200 odds at DraftKings to be the next team LeBron James takes the court for. That's behind only the Lakers at -425 and the Cleveland Cavaliers at +750.

The Cavs are tied for the fifth-shortest odds at SportsBetting.ag to draft Bronny James, which could lead to a third stint for LeBron with his hometown team. The +2000 odds are the same as those of the Philadelphia 76ers, who may see a closing window of opportunity with injury-prone superstar Joel Embiid. The Sixers have the fifth-shortest odds at DraftKings to land LeBron at +2200.

Another intriguing destination for the father-son tandem -- should they work a situation to play together -- is the bright lights of New York City. The New York Knicks are coming off a season that fell a win shy of the Eastern Conference Finals.

With an ascending roster and another proven star in Jalen Brunson, could the James duo suit up together in Madison Square Garden? The Knicks have the third-shortest odds to draft Bronny James, while DraftKings is offering +2500 odds that they'll sign LeBron James.

Of course, there's still the very real possibility that father and son are playing for different NBA franchises next season. But LeBron James' opt-out provides a path for the elder James to help stack the deck strongly in his favor should the ultimate goal be to play alongside his son as soon as next season.

Player Notes
Taurean Prince Tue Jul 1 10:50pm

Shams Charania of ESPN reports that forward Taurean Prince has agreed to a two-year, $7.1 million contract to remain with the Milwaukee Bucks. In 2024-25, Prince started 73 of his 80 regular-season outings during his first year in Milwaukee. He also averaged 8.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.0 steals in 27.1 minutes per contest, while shooting a career-best 43.9 percent from three-point range. The 31-year-old could remain in the Bucks starting five, but he will likely struggle to stay a fantasy-relevant asset during the 2025-26 regular season.

Jeff Green Tue Jul 1 10:00pm

Houston Rockets forward/centerJeff Green signed aone-year, $3.63 million contract to remain with the franchise. This upcoming campaign will be the third consecutive season for Green in a Rockets uniform. The 38-year-old veteran posted averages of 5.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 0.1 blocks across 12.4 minutes per contest during 32 regular-season outings. At this point in his career, the big man won't factor into fantasy in 2025-26.

Jake LaRavia Tue Jul 1 8:50pm

The Los Angeles Lakers have added some depth in the form of forward Jake LaRavia on Monday. According to Shams Charania, LaRavia has agreed to a two-year, $12 million deal with the Lakers. The 23-year-old is averaging 6.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists across three NBA seasons. He has spent most of his career with the Memphis Grizzlies before being traded to the Sacramento Kings mid-way last season. This is a nice depth move by the Lakers to add a player like LaRavia who can do a little bit of everything. He figures to play a fairly significant role off the bench, but probably won't be anything more than a streaming option in most fantasy formats.

Tyus Jones Tue Jul 1 8:40pm

The Orlando Magic added some depth at the point guard position by signing free-agent guard Tyus Jones on Monday. According to Shams Charania, Jones signed a one-year, $7 million deal with the organization. Jones has bounced around quite a bit during his career, but last played with the Phoenix Suns. He averaged 10.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in 26.8 minutes per game in 81 games with the Suns last season. It's unclear if he'll see that much playing time in Orlando, but that is also dependent on the health of Jalen Suggs. Jones figures to be the primary backup point guard, so he'll likely be asked to step up if the oft-injured Suggs goes down. Jones probably won't have standard league fantasy value on draft day.

Kevon Looney Tue Jul 1 8:30pm

The New Orleans Pelicans signed free-agent center Kevon Looney on Monday. According to Shams Charania, Looney agreed to a two-year, $16 million deal with the Pelicans. Looney has spent each of the last 10 years with the Golden State Warriors. Last season, Looney averaged 4.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 15.0 minutes per game across 76 contests. Looney is an experienced player who won three championships during his time in Golden State. He doesn't offer a ton of upside outside of his elite rebounding skills. He figures to play a role off the bench, which probably won't result in a ton of fantasy value. He'll probably end up being more of a streaming option than an everyday contributor in fantasy leagues.

Jericho Sims Tue Jul 1 8:20pm

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed center Jericho Sims to a new deal on Tuesday. The two sides have come to terms on a two-year deal. Sims was acquired by the Bucks mid-season from the New York Knicks. He didn't do too much damage as he averaged 2.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 0.8 assists across 15.0 minutes per game in a career-high 53 games. It's worth noting that Sims did play in all the postseason games for the Bucks. Despite that, Sims figures to have a minimal role in the rotation behind newly acquired center Myles Turner. Sims is unlikely to bring much to the table while Turner is healthy.

Tim Hardaway Jr. Tue Jul 1 8:10pm

The Denver Nuggets have agreed on a one-year deal with free-agent guard Tim Hardaway Jr. on Tuesday. After one season in Detroit, Hardaway has departed and will try his luck in Denver. Hardaway made 77 starts with the Pistons last season, but saw his offensive numbers take a hit. He averaged 11.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists and 2.2 three-pointers per game last season. Some of those numbers were the lowest Hardaway has produced in nearly a decade. He's a reliable shooter that should rebound with his new organization. However, Hardaway is unlikely to make 77 starts in Denver. In fact, Hardaway will probably come off the bench, so his fantasy value is uncertain right now.

Duncan Robinson Tue Jul 1 8:00pm

The Detroit Pistons are having a busy offseason as they've acquired guard Duncan Robinson on Tuesday. The Pistons and Miami Heat have agreed on a sign-and-trade that sends Robinson to Detroit in exchange for Simone Fontecchio. After that, Robinson signed a three-year, $48 million deal with Detroit. The Pistons are aggressively adding talent as they signed Caris LeVert on Monday. The combination of the two figures to help fill the void if Malik Beasley misses time due to gambling allegations. Last season, Robinson averaged 11.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.6 three-pointers across 74 games with the Heat. Robinson is a reliable three-point shooter, but doesn't offer a ton of upside elsewhere. Fantasy managers know what they're going to get when adding Robinson.

Tre Mann Tue Jul 1 7:50pm

Charlotte Hornets guard Tre Mann signed a new deal with the organization on Tuesday. The two sides have agreed on a three-year, $24 million deal. Mann was acquired by the Hornets from the Oklahoma City Thunder at the trade deadline in 2024. He only managed to play in 13 games last season due to a back issue. Before going down, Mann averaged 14.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.0 assists across 24.5 minutes per game. There is certainly good upside here, but Mann figures to mainly play off the bench behind LaMelo Ball. That being said, Mann probably won't see enough playing time to warrant rostering in most fantasy formats.

Gary Harris Tue Jul 1 3:30pm

On Tuesday, free-agent guard Gary Harris signed a two-year deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, per Shams Charania of ESPN. Harris joins the Bucks after spending the last five seasons in Orlando. Milwaukee remains active in the offseason, and it is unclear what the team has planned for the 28-year-old. Despite averaging only 3.0 points and 1.3 rebounds last season, Harris still provides the Bucks with veteran leadership and depth at guard, as he has demonstrated key rotational contributions throughout his time in the league. However, he is not considered a valuable fantasy asset at this point in his 11-year NBA career.

Mason Plumlee Tue Jul 1 3:00pm

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Charlotte Hornets signed free-agent center Mason Plumlee to a one-year, $3.6 million contract. The veteran big man played in 74 regular-season contests with the Phoenix Suns during the 2024-25 campaign, averaging 4.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 0.6 blocks per game. Going into his 13th NBA season, the 35-year-old will have to battle for minutes with rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner and Moussa Diabate, who are both 23 years old.

Jakob Poeltl Tue Jul 1 2:10pm

Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl has agreed to a four-year, $104 million contract extension with the organization through the 2029-30 season, per Shams Charania of ESPN. Poeltl picked up his 2026-27 player option at $19.5M and adds three more years to his deal. The 29-year-old had an excellent 2024-25 regular season, registering career-highs with 14.5 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists per contest in 57 games. He will likely continue to be a solid fantasy contributor going into the 2025-26 campaign.

Vasilije Micic Tue Jul 1 1:40pm

ESPN's Shams Charania reports that the Charlotte Hornets have traded 31-year-old guard Vasilije Micic to the Milwaukee Bucks for guard/forwardPat Connaughton. Charlotte also receives two second picks in 2031 and 2032. Milwaukee has been very active this offseason, so it is unclear what the organization has planned for Micic. During the 2024-25 campaign, the 31-year-old veteran guard suited up for 36 games with the Hornets and five with the Suns, averaging 6.6 points, 3.1 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per contest.

Pat Connaughton Tue Jul 1 1:20pm

On Tuesday, the Milwaukee Bucks traded guard/forwardPat Connaughton and two of their second-round picks in 2031 and 2032 to the Charlotte Hornets for guard Vasilije Micic, per Shams Charania of ESPN. Connaughton heads to the Hornets after exercising his $9.42 million player option for 2025-26. Last season, the 32-year-old averaged 5.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.3 blocks, and 0.6 three-pointers in 14.7 minutes per game.

Luke Kennard Tue Jul 1 1:00pm

Shams Charania of ESPN reports that guardLuke Kennard has agreed to a one-year, $11 million deal with the Atlanta Hawks. Kennard lands in Atlanta after spending the past two-plus seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies. During the 2024-25 season, he averaged 8.9 points, 3.3 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.7 three-pointers while shooting 43.3 percent from three-point range in 22.6 minutes per contest. The 29-year-old brings veteran leadership and depth to the Hawks on the wing.

Dennis Schroder Tue Jul 1 12:40pm

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Sacramento Kings have signed guard Dennis Schroder to a three-year, $45 million deal on Tuesday. After trading De'Aaron Fox, the Kings have added Schroder to provide depth and a veteran presence. The 31-year-old will backup starting point guard Malik Monk. During the 2024-25 regular season, Schroder played for three different teams, suiting up for the Nets, Warriors, and Pistons, while averaging 13.1 points, 5.4 assists, and 2.6 rebounds per game in 75 appearances.

Jonas Valanciunas Tue Jul 1 12:10pm

The Denver Nuggets acquired frontcourt depth in the early days of free agency, trading forward Dario Saric to Sacramento for center Jonas Valanciunas. The 33-year-old played in 81 games last year for Washington and Sacramento, averaging 10.4 points, seven rebounds, and two assists per game. The former top-five pick has been a productive post scorer throughout his career, and should allow Denver to rest Nikola Jokic without the offense falling apart. The acquisition of Valanciunas is the latest move of Denver's offseason. They also traded Michael Porter Jr. to Brooklyn for Cam Johnson and brought back fan-favorite forward Bruce Brown Jr.

Luke Kornet Tue Jul 1 12:10pm

Former Boston Celtics center Luke Kornet is heading south to San Antonio. ESPN's Shams Charania reports Kornet and the Spurs have agreed to a four-year, $41 million contract. The deal reportedly includes a team option for the final season. Kornet, one of the league's best rim protectors last season, will serve as the backup to franchise cornerstone Victor Wembanyama. The pair could also see some spot minutes together. While the Spurs were in desperate need of a backup big man, the change of scenery doesn't move the needle for Kornet's fantasy basketball value. The 7-footer averaged a career-best 18.6 minutes per game last season. That number may stay consistent, barring an injury in San Antonio's frontcourt.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Tue Jul 1 11:50am

The Oklahoma City Thunder and guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have agreed on a four-year, $285 million super max contract extension. That keeps the reigning NBA MVP under contract through the 2031 season. SGA now has the richest yearly salary in league history, a deserving accolade after becoming one of four players in NBA history to win the NBA MVP, Finals MVP, and scoring title. The Thunder's championship core remains intact and will be a strong contender to repeat in 2026. Gilgeous-Alexander will be a top-five pick in upcoming fantasy basketball drafts.

Guerschon Yabusele Tue Jul 1 11:40am

Free-agent center Guerschon Yabusele is moving from Philadelphia to New York, signing a two-year, $12 million contract with the Knicks. The forward returned to the NBA last year after five international seasons and averaged 11 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 50% shooting from the field. Yabusele brings lineup optionality to the Knicks. While a little undersized, he can play the 5 in a pinch, but he should also seamlessly fit alongside Karl-Anthony Towns or Mitchell Robinson. The fit makes more sense for real-life basketball than it does for fantasy basketball. The Knicks, in a wide-open Eastern Conference, are loading up on depth pieces (Yabusele and guard Jordan Clarkson) to try and reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.


Rotate for more data.