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Which NBA team will LeBron James play for in 2024-25?
James has a player option in the upcoming offseason and many believe he’s likely to opt out of his final deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. Especially amid the team’s recent struggles.
But former NBA star Chandler Parsons seems to believe he has a good read on the situation, and revealed as much on Monday’s episode of “Run it Back” on FanDuel TV.
"The minute you see Bronny James declare for the draft, they know who's taking him and you know where LeBron James is going."@ChandlerParsons on where LeBron will play next season.
📺: https://t.co/qYBPWhYgh7 pic.twitter.com/PV0EN9Lofq
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) February 5, 2024
“First of all, I think this man knows everything,” Parsons told host Michelle Beadle. “I think he already knows that (his son) Bronny’s declaring for the draft. He probably already has a backdoor deal with a team where he’s gonna squad up with him.
“The minute you see Bronny James declare for the draft, they know who’s taking him and you know where LeBron James is going. Believe that. There’s no way this dude (Bronny), with the season he’s having right now, is just gonna declare for the draft and leave it up to luck. If he does that, he’s got a guaranteed deal and that’s where LeBron James is going.”
Bronny James’ NBA Draft Stock May Affect LeBron James’ Next Team
Bronny James has played 14 games for the USC Trojans after returning from a sudden cardiac arrest suffered in the offseason. He’s averaging just 5.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game as a true freshman.
But prior to the health scare, James was considered one of the top high school prospects in the 2023 class and a potential first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
“Bronny James is a strong-bodied combo-guard with a well-rounded game. As the eldest son of LeBron James, his every move has been under a magnifying glass since before he played his first high school game,” Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports said of James in high school. “To his credit, that has never stopped him from playing the right way. In fact, Bronny’s best attribute may be his understanding of how to impact the game without dominating the ball or forcing bad shots. He’s unselfish, a more than willing passer, and engaged defender. The best part of his individual offense is his ability to shoot the ball from long-range.”
The younger James could still become a useful NBA player. But his draft stock clearly isn’t what it was six months ago. And that could well change the immediate future of the NBA.