Lakers News: Bill Simmons Wants LA Rival To Hold Bronny James 'Hostage' In NBA Draft

Should the Lakers take Bronny James?
In this story:

The Los Angeles Lakers hold the No. 17 and No. 55 picks in the upcoming NBA Draft, giving them multiple chances to bring in some young talent. Los Angeles has been rumored to potentially trade the first-round pick away for a more win-now move but in the event they do select a player, it could be a cheap option going forward.

One player that has been linked with the Lakers is USC guard Bronny James. James, the son of LeBron James, declared for the draft despite a poor first season with the Trojans.

There have been rumors that other teams could try to land Bronny in this draft, possibly to lure his dad to their team. NBA analyst Bill Simmons believes that the Boston Celtics should draft Bronny to keep him "hostage" from the Lakers.

“Here’s my case: everybody says this draft sucks. The Celtics are so deep… anyone in this draft isn’t going to play for them,” Simmons said. “Why not take Bronny and you basically hold him hostage? Because all these other teams want him, right?”

If the Celtics were to draft Bronny, it would be a slap in the face to the Lakers. As the rival of Los Angeles, it wouldn't be great to see Bronny land with the Celtics. Simmons continued.

“This is our ‘f*** you’ moment. This is Ben Affleck saying, ‘I just won for Argo, I’m going to be Batman.’ We have the title won, now we’re taking Bronny James! LeBron beat us in our last four playoff series against him, we’re taking your son!”

Simmons is a well-known Boston supporter and he consistently puts out scenarios like this. It's what has made him one of the more entertaining personalities in the media world over the years.

Los Angeles has wanted James to allow his dad to play with his son but the team is also interested in the skill set of Bronny. He may be a raw prospect right now but if the team is patient with him, he could become an impactful player down the line.

More Lakers: LA Disrespected in Post-Finals 2025 Championship Odds


Published
Matt Levine

MATT LEVINE

Matt earned a Master of Science degree in Sport Management from Louisiana State University in 2021. He was born and raised in the Los Angeles area, covering all Southern California sports in his career.