LeBron James is in for a rumor-filled offseason.
The Lakers star and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer is set to see son Bronny likely get picked at the NBA Draft later this month but also has some news to make of his own.
According to The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, there’s growing heat that LeBron could opt out of his deal with Los Angeles to join the Suns.
“There’s a lot of Phoenix buzz right now; I’m just going to say it. And I don’t know if it’s real or not,” Simmons said on his titular podcast.
The crux of the steam for James to Phoenix appears to start with Bronny seemingly shooting up the oddsboard ahead of the draft.
“I think Bronny is going to go in the first round because I think… I think that’s going to be encouraged,” Simmons continued.
Co-host Ryen Russilo then asked whether that would be encouraged by the NBA or by James’ Agency at Klutch Sports.
“Encouraged in a way like, ‘if this happens, then this will happen,” Simmons continued. “[Suns owner] Mat Ishbia has the same media strategist that LeBron and his camp has, Adam Mendelsohn. That makes me a little suspicious.”
The Suns own the No. 22 pick in the first round of the draft and while drafting Bronny in the first round is seemingly a reach on multiple levels in terms of perceived skill gap, Simmons notes that this is not a highly touted crop of prospects to begin with.
“[Klutch Sports] seem really confident that he is getting drafted in the first round,” Simmons continued. “And if you’re Mat Ishbia and the draft sucks, and it’s like let’s get Bronny, and they’re telling us that if we take Bronny, there’s a chance that we can get LeBron too, you have to think about it.
“I don’t know how many more years LeBron has left, it’s one it’s two, it’s three; whatever he was an All-NBA guy last year… you’ve gotta explore it”
Simmons hedged slightly, adding that he does not “think LeBron is leaving L.A. I think that chances are slim.”
James cryptically left the podium after the Lakers were eliminated from the postseason by the Denver Nuggets, not answering questions about his future in L.A.
If James does sign with Phoenix, he would be forgoing what would likely be $150 million over three years and instead signing with the hard-capped Suns for less than $3 million per year.
Bronny is rated No. 54 on the ESPN NBA Draft big board, although oddsmakers at FanDuel set his over/under draft slot at 40.5 with heavy -130 juice to the over.
