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Lakers News: Stephen A Smith Pitches Wild Theory on LA's Bronny James Draft Plans

How the team will handle LeBron James' draft-eligible son.
Alex Kirschenbaum|
May 15, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; Bronny James (50) takes a shot during the 2024 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
May 15, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; Bronny James (50) takes a shot during the 2024 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports | David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

20-time All-NBA Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James has a $51.4 million player option this summer. What he chooses to do could have a massive ripple effect, not only on the free agent market, but also on the fate of his son, one-and-done USC Trojans combo guard Bronny James.

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith weighed in with his own take on the situation. With ESPN pegging Bronny James as its No. 54 pick (Los Angeles has the No. 55 selection), the Worldwide Leader (at least, to yours truly) this year, Smith posits that there's a bit of Lakers gamesmanship potentially at least hre.

"So much of what's transpiring seems so transparent, it's insulting," Smith said. "At some point in time, it's like too much, looks too damn obvious. So I look at Bronny James, I'm like, 'Man I'm rooting for this.'"

Bronny James' 40.5 inch vertical was the fourth-best overall such height achieved by anyone during last week's 2024 NBA draft combine activities, He had no jumper at the collegiate level, but projects to be a solid point-of-attack defender and a good distributor. Eventually.

The elder James, already the league's oldest player, enjoyed yet another superlative individual season in 2022-24. In his 71 healthy games last year, the 6-foot-9 vet is averaging 25.7 points on .540/.410/.750 shooting splits, 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 dimes per bout. Will the younger James measure up? Is Lakers GM Rob Pelinka overthinking the on-court value of a second round draft selection, anyway?

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Alex Kirschenbaum
ALEX KIRSCHENBAUM

Currently also a scribe for Newsweek, Hoops Rumors, The Sporting News and "Gremlins" director Joe Dante's film site Trailers From Hell, Alex is an alum of Men's Journal, Grizzlies fan site Grizzly Bear Blues, and Bulls fan sites Blog-A-Bull and Pippen Ain't Easy, among others.

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