2024 NBA Mock Draft #3

[David Hume]

With the 32nd pick, Utah selects Bronny James. Now the ball is in LA’s court. If LeBron really wants to play alongside his son, they will make us an offer. If LeBron really doesn’t want to see his son confined to the G League for a year, or sit out the season, he’s going to pressure the Lakers to do something about it. Like maybe send us two future 2nds and take the top-4 protection off the pick they owe us in exchange for giving them Bronny. No matter what the outcome, it will cause commotion among the Lakers. If they don’t bite, we just develop Bronny ourselves, G League and all, and develop him as we would with any other prospect, and LeBron stews while Bronny is in the G League. If Bronny refuses to sign with us, he can sit out the season, no big loss for us, but again, a maddening outcome for LeBron.

The Lakers and LeBron would both face PR/credibility issues if they drafted Bronny at 17. It would just look too nepotistic because Bronny might not be drafted at all if not for being LeBron’s son. But drafting him at 55 no one would complain about.

Lakers and LeBron are of course strategizing what they will do in the event someone drafts Bronny before them. They could try and spin things by having minions put out the message “we goaded another team into drafting Bronny with a high second round pick” but that still wouldn’t solve the issue of Bronny going to the G League or sitting out the season. LeBron would still be pissed.

 

[seattlejazzfan]

Milwaukee takes Enrique Freeman

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

Wizards select Nikola Djurisic.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

I've updated the board based on trades and picks from last night.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

With the 35th pick Chicago selects Trentyn Flowers

 

[SoberasHotRod]

CJA gave me his pick and he is selecting Ajay Mitchell for Toronto

 

[SoberasHotRod]

@seattlejazzfan is up for Minnesota

 

[SoberasHotRod]

I made a trade with soberashotrod and he selects Ryan dunn

I think Indiana is one of the few places that could work for Dunn.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

With the 32nd pick, Utah selects Bronny James. Now the ball is in LA’s court. If LeBron really wants to play alongside his son, they will make us an offer. If LeBron really doesn’t want to see his son confined to the G League for a year, or sit out the season, he’s going to pressure the Lakers to do something about it. Like maybe send us two future 2nds and take the top-4 protection off the pick they owe us in exchange for giving them Bronny. No matter what the outcome, it will cause commotion among the Lakers. If they don’t bite, we just develop Bronny ourselves, G League and all, and develop him as we would with any other prospect, and LeBron stews while Bronny is in the G League. If Bronny refuses to sign with us, he can sit out the season, no big loss for us, but again, a maddening outcome for LeBron.

The Lakers and LeBron would both face PR/credibility issues if they drafted Bronny at 17. It would just look too nepotistic because Bronny might not be drafted at all if not for being LeBron’s son. But drafting him at 55 no one would complain about.

Lakers and LeBron are of course strategizing what they will do in the event someone drafts Bronny before them. They could try and spin things by having minions put out the message “we goaded another team into drafting Bronny with a high second round pick” but that still wouldn’t solve the issue of Bronny going to the G League or sitting out the season. LeBron would still be pissed.

As the poster who both represents Utah and LAL, it will be fascinating how you respond to yourself on this one. I'm looking forward to it.

 

[David Hume]

As the poster who both represents Utah and LAL, it will be fascinating how you respond to yourself on this one. I'm looking forward to it.

No trades between teams you are picking for. Based on the preliminary responses from my colleagues on JazzFanz, my “draft Bronny” idea seems like a bad one, and I suppose it probably is. I still have to wonder if there is someway to get into LeBron’s head during the draft to cause awkward internal problems within the Lakers. But it could backfire, maybe it really is LeBron just trying to market his kid and nothing more, he doesn’t care if he plays with him, he just wants Bronny in the NBA. That’s more than likely, and even if it wasn’t, that’s how the Lakers and LeBron would likely respond. So unless you really believe in Bronny, not much would come of it.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

No trades between teams you are picking for. Based on the preliminary responses from my colleagues on JazzFanz, my “draft Bronny” idea seems like a bad one, and I suppose it probably is. I still have to wonder if there is someway to get into LeBron’s head during the draft to cause awkward internal problems within the Lakers. But it could backfire, maybe it really is LeBron just trying to market his kid and nothing more, he doesn’t care if he plays with him, he just wants Bronny in the NBA. That’s more than likely, and even if it wasn’t, that’s how the Lakers and LeBron would likely respond. So unless you really believe in Bronny, not much would come of it.

From what I understand, Lebron really wants to play with Bronny, but Bronny doesn't necessarily feel the same way, so Lebron has backed off of insisting that they play together.

 

[David Hume]

As the poster who both represents Utah and LAL, it will be fascinating how you respond to yourself on this one. I'm looking forward to it.

How I think the Lakers should respond: tell LeBron “we offered cash for that pick and Utah refused. There’s nothing further we can do.” LeBron’s not signing with Utah. So Bronny would be on the Jazz. And I really don’t believe in Bronny at 32, so yeah, it now does seem like a bad idea. Oh well. Hopefully it brought 15 minutes worth of amusement on JazzFanz.