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The Los Angeles Lakers can’t afford to look too far ahead, as their most important objective at the moment is to surround Luka Doncic with the best supporting cast he’s had in Los Angeles since joining the franchise in 2025.
However, that didn’t stop Bleacher Report’s Scott Polacek from exploring an intriguing 2027 NBA Draft option for the franchise.
Polacek has a hunch that the Lakers could find themselves competing with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the 19-year-old son of Los Angeles’ four-time NBA champion star, LeBron James.
“Bronny James wasn't exactly considered a can't-miss NBA prospect when he entered the 2024 NBA draft. After all, he averaged just 4.8 points per game while shooting 36.6 percent from the field during his one season with USC,” Polacek wrote Wednesday.
“Yet that didn't stop the Los Angeles Lakers from drafting him and making him teammates with his famous father. Bronny has remained a secondary contributor for the Lakers, although he saw important minutes in the team's first-round win over the Houston Rockets when Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves were sidelined.”
“It is not exactly a stretch to suggest a team that has LeBron James on the roster would be willing to draft another one of his sons since basketball fans just saw it happen in 2024. While LeBron's own future is up in the air at this point, the thought here is that he will either remain with the Lakers or join the Cleveland Cavaliers as a fitting homecoming if he doesn't retire. And that means they are both potential landing spots for Bryce (James).”
James, a three-star recruit in the 2025 high school class, committed to Arizona before the conclusion of his senior season at Sierra Canyon. With several guards ahead of James on Tommy Lloyd’s loaded 2025-26 squad, the Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio native had no choice but to redshirt in early February to preserve his four years of eligibility.
Clearly, James is still a work in progress at the collegiate level, as his so-so athleticism, questionable shot selection, lack of burst, and less-than-ideal physical stature make him far from a high-level NBA prospect.
Like Polacek noted, though, James’ older brother Bronny was rough around the edges when the Lakers selected him with the No. 55 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, meaning Los Angeles is no stranger to taking a gamble on a contributor with family ties to LeBron.
James will still have to play a full season of college basketball to prove he’s worth a first or second round selection, but it isn’t out of the realm of possibility for him to join Los Angeles in a notable 2027 NBA Draft move.
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