Latest CBA negotiations seem targeted at Bronny James, Lakers

As Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James starts to wind down his NBA career and eventually make the transition to retired life, focus will gradually shift to his son Bronny, who is just a few years away from officially making his expected entry into the professional ranks.

His jump could have come a bit sooner if not for the league barring players from leaping to the NBA right out of high school. Even after the NIL craze has exploded in college basketball, alternatives like playing overseas or the G League have hurt the prestige of the “one-and-done” rule.

While this rule will likely go out of style in the next few years, the league and the NBPA appear to be speeding up the process. It’s almost like one big-name prospect who could be worth his weight in gold as a marketing centerpiece was about to come into the league.

The NBA is reportedly discussing lowering the minimum age of eligibility from 19 to 18. This could pave a path towards eventually reinstating the high school-to-NBA pipeline. With James about to decide his next moves, this seems like something that is targeted with the specific purpose of getting him to the NBA as soon as possible.

Will the Lakers, LeBron James see Bronny James jump to the NBA?

It remains to be seen if James, a high-school senior is a viable NBA prospect. Unlike his 6-8 bulldozer of a father, Bronny is a smooth 6-3 combo guard with more of an emphasis on playmaking from the perimeter. If he puts up solid efficiency percentages, that could get him some NBA looks.

LeBron has been very adamant about playing in the NBA long enough to suit up alongside his son. He even mentioned that he would play the final season of his career next to his oldest, perhaps trying to emulate Ken Griffey Sr. The NBA is well aware of the hype Bronny would bring with him.

Adam Silver has been very open when discussing one-and-done culture and how to eliminate it. With the rule preventing players that are capable of playing in the NBA from making the jump and forcing them to risk injury at the collegiate level, forcing kids to go to college has not been the most popular program of late.

While this rule will undoubtedly let top recruits jump to the league if they feel they are ready, the fact that these negotiations are going on right as James is going to consider which college he will attend can’t be a coincidence. We may see James in the NBA sooner rather than later.

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