Lakers News: LeBron James-Bronny James Pairing Could Have Astronomic Impact On Team's Worth
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Los Angeles Lakers All-Star forward LeBron James has long maintained that he hopes to play alongside both his sons, Bronny and Bryce, before he hangs up his sneakers. LeBron has an opt-out clause with the Lakers that could make him an unrestricted free agent in 2024, the soonest point at which Bronny could become draft-eligible.
Now, with Bronny's draft stock rising, it appears possible that a tandem pairing of two James generations could yield massive financial rewards for whichever team nabs them.
During a conversation with Adam Zagoria of Forbes, Pinnacle Advertising creative director Bob Dorfman had an interesting take on how much a LeBron James-Bronny James team-up could help improve a franchise's bottom line.
“Assuming it’d be a middle-of-the-road team that drafts high enough to pick Bronny and then signs dad, their franchise value could jump as much as 50%,” Dorfman opined. “A franchise like Orlando could double their $1.85 billion value practically overnight."
Bronny James, an 18-year-old senior at Sierra Canyon High School in Chatsworth, had been a lower first-round draft pick/high second-rounder for much of last year and this season. Now, however, ESPN has projected his stock to rise precipitously, and he is expected to be a top-10 quality pick among his current draft class in 2024.
The younger James, who recently inked an NIL agreement with Nike, is eyeing three NCAA clubs affiliated with the Beaverton, Oregon-based brand as he prepares his college journey.
The Lakers just made huge strides with a slew of savvy trade deadline deals. Would the team be able to finagle a lottery pick, or swing a trade of assets to get them the rights to one, that could help it add Bronny, and thus keep LeBron? Time will tell.
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