Bronny James Rumors: LeBron's Son Has Strong Pre-Draft Suns Workout Amid Lakers Buzz
June 6, 2024
Bronny James reportedly made a good impression during his workout with the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday.
According to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic, James "had a strong workout" with the Suns that included a handful of other prospects and contained a variety of drills that focused on shooting.
Rankin noted that the former USC guard passed on workout offers from several teams, choosing to showcase his skills for the Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers instead.
It's an encouraging sign that James impressed during a workout that emphasized shooting, as he struggled with his consistency from behind the arc during his lone season with the Trojans. In 25 appearances, the 19-year-old connected on just 26.7 percent of his threes while shooting 48.1 percent on two-point field goals.
While his USC production wasn't stellar, James has seemingly improved his draft stock throughout the pre-draft process. He recorded a vertical jump of 40.5" at the NBA Scouting Combine and looked consistent during shooting drills.
The Lakers' reported interest in James doesn't come as a large surprise, as he's the son of superstar LeBron James. However, the elder James' future in Los Angeles isn't a certainty as he currently has a $51.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season (via Spotrac).
In the latest mock draft from Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman, Bronny was selected by the Lakers with the No. 55 overall pick.
"Though he'd likely spend next year earning G League reps and the South Bay Lakers' extra attention, long term, his shotmaking, foot speed and IQ do create a viable three-and-D archetype and path to NBA success," Wasserman wrote.
However, there's a chance that he's off the board before the back half of the second round. Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on May 24 that James is "among several players" that Phoenix is considering choosing with the No. 22 overall pick.
While that may be a bit high, his strong performance on Wednesday likely endeared him to the Suns' front office even more.