Suns, Bronny James Speculation Continues

Phoenix previously had James in for a private workout.

Mar 13, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans guard Bronny James (6) looks on against the Washington Huskies at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

PHOENIX --- Rumors surrounding the 2024 NBA Draft are running wild with less than two weeks until the first round on June 26, and the Phoenix Suns have been at the center of much of the chatter.

One of the prospects most linked to the Suns happens to be Bronny James, son of NBA legend LeBron James.

James worked out for the Suns last week following a report from Shams Charania that the Suns and Los Angeles Lakers would be the only two franchises to administer pre-draft workouts with him.

Bleacher Report NBA writer Eric Pincus believes there is fire to the smoke, as he has named the Suns as one of five teams that are in play to reach for Bronny.

His father, unsurprisingly, was at the center of the justification for "reaching" in the draft.

The Phoenix Suns are functionally stuck: Over the second apron, lacking control on almost all of their future draft picks and coming up short on both the mid-sized salaries and sweeteners needed to trade for reliable role players.

Phoenix, for what it's worth, seems content with its position. And there are worse fates than being tied to a roster featuring Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

Still, the Suns, who need to win big right now to justify the investment in this group, are coming off a 33-loss season and first-round exit. This roster might need reinforcing, it will just be incredibly difficult to do so.

Unless, of course, LeBron would be open to signing for dirt cheap for the chance to play with his son. It's a possibility he hasn't previously ruled out.

- Eric Pincus

That wasn't without giving Bronny credit, however, and Pincus also suggested a realistic way the Suns could obtain a pick in the second round to take him.

Bronny could even make his mark as a perimeter stopper early on, and given Phoenix's general lack of youth, it could be more committed to his long-term development than most teams.

Spending the No. 22 pick on the younger James is unrealistic, but the Suns could look to move back 10 or 15 spots to scoop him up and add something to their effectively nonexistent asset collection.

- Pincus

The trade discussion is actually in alignment with recent speculation that the Suns could trade up into the lottery, then subsequently trade back down to acquire a second-round pick.

At the end of the day, it appears the Suns' interest in Bronny is based on one of two things - either the franchise is attempting a historical heist behind the backdrop of a father-son duo or the front office is simply looking to repair a fractured relationship with Klutch Sports that has been an issue for several years now.

Bronny James could be especially useful in the future under the wings of a strong organization with what should be coaches that are well-equipped to develop up-and-coming prospects - he could be a worthy selection in the mid-second, even without a package deal with his father.

Let the speculation continue.