NBA Draft Rumor: Bronny James’ Lakers Dream Threatened by 21YO LA Guard’s 6’6 Brother

Just days away from the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Just like every year, there are a few names synonymous with the event, none more so than Bronny James. The rumor mill went off just after James Jr. announced his name for the NBA Draft back in April and is still rotating at top speed.

Even after a few months, more eyes are on Bronny than the probable top picks like Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher. But now out of the blue another name has entered the chat, a name familiar to the Lakers nation. He is none other than Max Christie’s brother, Cam Christie.

According to draft expert, Jonathan Givony, the Gophers’ 6’6″ shooting guard is a “Sleeper Prospect”. In his detailed report on Christie, the Draft Express writer lauded his pull-up conversion, ball handling, and pick-and-roll ability. Projecting him as a second-round pick, Givony highlighted that Christie is “getting looks” from almost all the teams. Not only Givony, but even 247 Sports’ Adam Finkelstein passes Cam with flying colors. Dubbed as a mid-range threat, his variety of fakes, mazy dribbles with immaculate footwork sets him apart from others in his class. So it is quite obvious for the teams to take notice of the Lakers guard’s brother.

So how does that affect Bronny? The problem is the Lakers have two draft picks for this year, No. 17 and 55. Despite impressing in the Chicago Draft Combine, Bronny is yet to be considered as a confirmed first-round pick. With the Suns also interested in him (they hold pick No.22), reserving number 55 might be a worry for the Lakers. On the other hand, 17 is too early a pick for Bronny, which could, in turn, be reserved for a player like Christie. Quite obviously, after Givony’s analysis, interest in Christie might soar and could lead to last-minute adjustments.

Zach Edey is another name in the mix and even if the Lakers pass on the prospect of a brotherly reunion, the Purdue C might go No.17. With the Suns sitting at 22, Pheonix could be Bronny’s possible destination, but his agent, Rich Paul, has already named 3 front-runners for the 19-year-old guard.

Rich Paul Names Three Front-Runners in Bronny James Chase

When it comes to getting the best deal for his clients, there are not many better than Rich Paul. The Klutch Sports CEO’s close friendship with LeBron is more of an incentive for Bronny to get a great deal wherever he lands, irrespective of what Paul says about treating everyone equally.

With all the calculations coming into play ahead of the Draft, Paul has already made it clear that there’s nothing to talk about if a franchise isn’t giving a proper deal. Bronny so far has worked out with only the Lakers and the Suns, indicating their commitment to giving exactly what Bronny wants. But even if the randomness on the Draft night spoils his calculations, Paul has three fail-safes ready for his client.

“There are other teams that love Bronny. For example, Minnesota, Dallas, Toronto. If it’s not the Lakers, it will be someone else. Minnesota would love to get Bronny in, but I don’t know who their owner is going to be. [Mavs GM] Nico Harrison is like an uncle to Bronny. If the Lakers don’t take him at 55, Dallas would take him at 58 and give him a guaranteed deal. Masai [Ujiri, Raptors president,] loves him. They could take him without even seeing him at 31. Workouts aren’t everything for these teams,” Paul told Givony.

But even after all, this doubt remains. What if the Lakers draft Bronny? Then what? As per rumors, the Lakers are showing interest in Trae Young, a point guard. Surely Bronny will not get the nod from Redick ahead of the 3-time All-Star guard. Is Bronny James even ready for the collegiate to NBA jump? Questions remain and all of them will be answered one by one after the night of 27 June.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what brand maker, Leonard Armato, had to say about the deadly duo, Shaq and Kobe, check out this video