Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up earlier this week (YouTube link), Brian Windhorst said that he believes Lakers star LeBron James will decline his player option for 2024/25. There are a number of reasons why James may be motivated to opt out, Windhorst says, and creating “optionality” to play with his son Bronny James is among them.
However, agent Rich Paul has made an effort in recent weeks and months to dispel the idea that his father-and-son clients need to play together, according to Windhorst, who suggests that if LeBron does opt out, that’s unlikely to be the primary reason why. Windhorst also says he believes the four-time MVP will ultimately end up back with the Lakers, whether or not his son lands there too.
“I think if the Lakers have an opportunity to draft Bronny James, they will do so, whether that’s with the 55th pick or if they make another deal around the draft where they (acquire) another pick, I think they will try,” Windhorst said. “I do not think it’s going to be their top priority. And I don’t think the league right now is looking at this like, ‘Draft Bronny James and you can get LeBron.'”
Shams Charania of The Athletic expressed a similar sentiment regarding the Lakers and Bronny during an appearance on ESPN’s Pat McAfee Show (YouTube link). “In a perfect world,” Charania stated, Los Angeles would like to have a chance to draft Bronny, but the team won’t be structuring its draft plans around that goal.
Charania also went on to discuss how many years LeBron might have left in the NBA, explaining why family considerations will be a factor in that decision and why the longtime NBA superstar may just play a couple more seasons.
“He knows how much people around him have sacrificed,” Charania said. “His wife, his kids, his close friends, his loved ones – they’ve sacrificed a lot for him over these 21 years, could end up being up to 23 years that he plays in the league, and so pouring that back to them at some point in the next one to two years, I know that’s a priority as well.”
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- The Suns are expected to be “aggressive” on the trade market this summer, Charania said during his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show (Twitter video link). Charania points out that Phoenix will be able to trade its 2024 first-round pick (a deal could be agreed upon prior to the draft and officially finalized after the Suns make the pick) and its 2031 first-rounder this offseason. Still, the team’s ability to be aggressive will be somewhat limited due to the restrictive trade rules that apply to teams whose salaries are above the second tax apron, including an inability to aggregate player salaries.
- Doug Haller of The Athletic takes a look at what the Suns are getting in new head coach Mike Budenholzer, speaking to some of Budenholzer’s former players and outlining why the coach’s “bulldog” personality might be just what Phoenix needs.
- Warriors forward/center Draymond Green and Suns center Jusuf Nurkic, who had their share of run-ins during the 2023/24 season, have continued to trade barbs following the end of their teams’ respective seasons, as Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic details. After Green said during a TNT segment that the Suns “have no big man” (Twitter video link), Nurkic tweeted, “I see that brother still needs help,” and suggested that Green still hasn’t gotten over Suns tar Kevin Durant leaving Golden State in 2019.
He will be there at #55. Cause no one will draft him. So of course Bron is coming back to play with him.
I don’t see Bron “giving back to those who sacrificed for him” as even a top 10 factor for his next decision about playing.
Nurkic sure has thin skin. “Me Nurkic, me mad, me think only I can talk smack. Green is correct Nurkic is not a player that is elite on defense or offense.
And neither is Green. It is pretty pathetic how he downsizes players in his gone-fishing media role. He did the same to Gobert last night. What has Green exactly done in recent years with his team? Sad.
You’re trippin watzinu, I like Gobert but buddy was getting cooked by Jokic. Nurkic
is a defensively inept center. Suns absolutely need a big man, they were relying on Eubanks more than Nurkic at the end. Don’t hate just to hate
@tball Jokic cooks everyone. He’s cooked the best defensive centers in the league. Draymond is a biased clown who needs therapy.
Agreed. Draymond seemed very comfortable calling out Rudy for not showing up. And he wasn’t totally wrong. But the only reason he is on TV is because he hasn’t played meaningful basketball in over a month. Oh and it’s mostly his own fault.
Who was stopping Jokic yesterday, Green included.
He does have 4 rings and between Nurkic and Golbert 0. Nurkic thing was a response to him when the warriors got knocked out of the play in. Nurkic was happy to rub it in Green’s face but mad when he didn’t show up. Golbert can’t stop Nurkic because he is too slow away from the rim. Golbert is a rim protector but is neutral away from the rim.
Riding Curry’s coat tails to each ring…
Green is this era’s Rodman but not as talented… And a bigger clown…
Watch The Warriors draft Bonny with their second round pick. It’s worth a gamble because Patrick McCaw Jordan Bell Allen Smilagic Etc have been second round picks and flopped so why not gamble here?
The Warriors have been low-key LeBron suitors for the last year or two. Could it happen?
Golden State makes some sense, not because Bronny would necessarily be a fit(maybe? They do like back up guards with fringe NBA talent) but more of a way to land LeBron and make one final swing with a bunch old guys. Los Angeles is only be a 1.5 hour flight from San Jose so he’d still be relatively close to his family and business base and he and Green are buddies. He also seems to get along great with Curry.
I’ll give ya the skinny Gary as I know your one of the few that has the emotional intelligence to digest the info appropriately and unless DXC rolls thru here you probably wont get a straight answer
He’d have to accept the MLE (12,9) … At that price point point I think Dal Nyk or Cle would be more attractive (Dal would have to filter Hardaway Jr into a cap team with his 16.5 expiring but that shouldn’t be too hard ) Okc could give 20~25 in cap, a better option imo, Lakers get a Mle if he accepts around 23 mill AAv from them and ofc Philly or Lakers could pay him the full 3/165 which LBJ would then just be shooting himself in the foot
My best guess is he’s shortsighted and takes the huge deal from LAL outta some weird phobia of not wanting to take a discount. My GSW odds while not zero would probably lie at about 1~2 % tbh
^If I was him Id want to go to NYK DAL or OKC in that order for the full Mle . Even that haters would have to respect that down the line allah Brady
Agreed with Cap. It would surprise me more than not if LeBron went anywhere, tbh. I think he’s just going to do his best grumpy old man and hang around with LA. They can offer him the most money, he has most of his business interests in the city, his family already lives there.
If he *were* to leave, I’d expect him to go to a team like OKC or Dallas, teams already in the thick of contending with potential future assets. GS seems more like an emotion-based pick, and I don’t think LeBron is the sentimental type.
LeBron goes to 76ers if he wants a ring. They can pay him a max and combine him with Maxey and Embiid that is the best 3 stars in the NBA. All said and done he stays in LA and they draft Bronny with their first round pick.
Cap, The Warriors wouldn’t be able to trade Chris Paul 30 million, Plus a couple young guys and a first round pick to the Lakers if LeBron opts in?
I agree the odds are very very low but I only mention it because the Warriors have been calling on LeBron to come up to the Bay for a year or two.
But yes I do appreciate the breakdown and you always do a good job of explaining things here.
Technically yes but I don’t see how GSW can justify sending (multiple) assets out for a 50 mill a year salary guy basically going year by year now .
If LBJ wants to go to GSW he should just go on the MLE so they’d be at full strength and give it a run. Also a collection of Paul Payton Looney Moody types will not be coveted to amass the 50 mill match necessary for the Lakers without serious draft consideration. I don’t think GSW is at the point to send out multiple draft picks for something that’s not a sure long term slam dunk.
I think yall will be fairly quite in the offseason on the trade market- Probably a complete waive of Paul and Looney, retaining Klay and some form of the Mle pending on Klays number. They can explore the market next trade deadline pending where they are in the standings at that point
Gotcha. Makes sense. I’m coming from the angle that the Warriors would be thinking about anything and everything for Curry’s last year or two of high quality production before they call it a day.
I think if they are getting the legacy commitment from Curry he’s got quite a few good years left and with that savvy front office they can take a more medium based approach and still right the ship in time
A reset of the tax next year could help that medium range approach
Wiggins getting his potential trade value back up could be key too
I think they’ll be very leveled and concise this offseason while keeping the ledger clean
Savvy front office? In Golden State? Oh brother
Lakers are a great team. They have picks to acquire Ingram, Young and Mitchell.
How about this,
Mitchell says the only team he wants to play is Lakers. (assumption)
Suns are a terrible playoffs team. Durant and Booker are untouchable. They have nothing to trade.
I feel so bad for LeBrons family and all the sacrifices they have made for him.
Just imagine what it takes to live an uber rich lifestyle enjoying the best of everything and never having a need that can’t be met. I sure know that I wouldn’t want to live in mansions, travel the world, drive the most expensive cars, send my kids to the best schools, wear all the trendiest and most fashionable clothes and help provide a living for all my family and friends while having summers off every year. My heart bleeds purple piss for the James family. It’s a good thing they can afford the best therapists.
What is purple piss lol. Think we found Grimace’s burner acct
If there was any more salt in this comment, your username would be “Lot’s wife”, darthdragula.
It’s such a joke that jocks think this is a sacrifice…
They got a lot back from supporting him…
Darth – get your money up
Bronny measured 6-1 at Pre Draft Camp.
In the USC guide he’s 6-4.
That means if I visit the USC campus I can claim to have a nearly 10 inch “shoe” ;)