Eastern Conference team named as potential draft suitor for Bronny James

Nov 24, 2023; La Jolla, California, USA; USC Trojans guard Bronny James (6) warms up before the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at LionTree Arena. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

LeBronto may soon be coming full circle.

NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic gave an interesting update this week on Bronny James’ draft prospects. During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Charania named one particular Eastern Conference team as potentially having interest in drafting the 19-year-old USC freshman Bronny — the Toronto Raptors. Charania mentioned that the Raptors are currently “scouting” Bronny.

Bronny, averaging 5.7 points per game on 37/28/61 shooting splits for USC this season, is not drawing a lot of draft interest on his own merits. Rather the interest is based around the possibility that the team which drafts him will also be able to land his father LeBron James. As such, this could all be interpreted in other words as the Raptors (and any other teams looking to scout Bronny) as having interest in the father-son James tandem.

That would be an interesting turn of events after LeBron terrorized the Raptors in the playoffs for many years in the Eastern Conference. With the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron eliminated Toronto in three straight years from 2016-18. It was only once LeBron left the East to join the Los Angeles Lakers that the Raptors finally won their first title in franchise history in 2019.

As for those Lakers, we recently found out what their current stance is on drafting Bronny. But the Raptors, who own picks Nos. 6, 17, and 31 in this year’s draft, they appear to be putting out some feelers as well.