Potential Pistons Prospect Makes Critical Pre-Draft Decision

Bronny James will only work out with a few teams before the 2024 NBA Draft.

May 14, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; Bronny James (50) participates during the 2024 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports | David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

The Detroit Pistons have a couple of picks in the 2024 NBA Draft, which features USC product Bronny James. While a lot of the hype around the young freshman stems from the fact that he’s the son of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, the future Hall of Famer’s eldest son has earned his pre-draft buzz throughout the process so far.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, James has earned “over 10” invites to privately work out for NBA teams. It’s unclear if the Pistons were one of the teams that inquired, but it’s apparent that James is unlikely to undergo a workout for Detroit.

In fact, most interested teams won’t get that opportunity.

James made a critical pre-draft decision to only accept a small number of those invites. Per Charania, the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers will get the opportunity to conduct a workout with Bronny. While the list could see a slight expansion, it appears those two teams are the ones to keep an eye on as the draft inches closer.

May 15, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; Bronny James participates in the 2024 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports | David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

The Pistons hold the fifth-overall pick in the NBA Draft currently. While Bronny’s stock has seen a rise as of late, there’s little-to-no chance the Pistons would consider spending a top-five pick on the USC standout.

While a second-rounder would be worth the gamble, the Pistons aren’t expected to go back on the clock until the 53rd overall pick. By then, James is likely on another roster.

Although the initial belief was that the James family wanted to make sure they were a father-son duo in the league, which signaled Bronny would have to land on a contender, the narrative has shifted. James’ representatives are prioritizing the right developmental situation.

The Pistons have minutes to offer to a young rookie with upside, considering they remain in a rebuild going into the 2024-2025 season, but they are still a hard sell at this time, considering the struggles they have encountered in recent years.