Hypothetical: Draft Bronny James and try to woo LBJ?

[KingsFanSince85]

As many of you are aware, I’m not much of an LBJ fans nowadays. I used to be up until 2010ish then the guy really started to wear thin on me for a multitude of reasons. Point being, I’m not suggesting this hypothetical because I’m an LBJ fanboy. Nor do I think this is likely. Rather, I see it far more unlikely than likely.

However, that said, LBJ has gone on record stating that he desires to play with his son before he retires. While he has since softened that stance/desire, it’s still likely something he may very well consider if the opportunity arises.

Enter the KINGS. They need to upgrade their SF/SG/Wing positions. They have the 13th and 45th draft picks in the upcoming draft and not many other options available to them in order to improve their roster.

So, with that in mind, what IF they drafted Bronny James with their 45th pick, or by possibly moving up a tad higher than that if need be, and seeing if they can possibly woo LBJ to join them and fill one of their biggest needs?

As far as I can tell, Bronny isn’t likely to be a 1st round pick unless he destroys all the predraft stuff and/or another franchise decides to roll the dice in the same way.

So, my hypothetical question to you all is this. Let’s say the KINGS draft Bronny then somehow find a way to woo and pay LBJ a fair amount of $$$ to come join his son here in Sacramento. AND in accomplishing all that they also get Malik Monk to return.

Is this a potential championship lineup?

Domas
Keegan
LBJ
Ellis
Swipa
———-
Monk
Lyles
Vezenkov
Len
Bronny

**The above assumes the KINGS would need to shed some contracts someway, somehow. Most notably Barnes, Huerter, and Davion being the most likely. But the bench could differ depending upon what they trade out/in and whether they retain the #13 pick.

As unlikely as getting LBJ is, hypothetically, would it make the KINGS a surefire title contender??

 

[pdxKingsFan]

I'm not the biggest LBJ fan but of course I would do this because I think it would give the Kings a level of credibility nationally and possibly with officiating we haven't had in nearly a quarter century.

If LeBron could win it all in Sac he just might convince a good chunk of his haters who forgot he brought one to Cleveland because of Miami and LA too.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

You're asking LeBron to opt out of a $51M option to come to Sac to take the MLE. Then you're asking him, at the age of 40, to win us a championship. A championship that, if we won it, would always be the LeBron championship and never the Sacramento championship.

There are just so many ways for this to go wrong.

I gotta say, I basically feel like Venkman at the end of Ghostbusters about this...

Spengler: I have a radical idea. LeBron could be a free agent, we could have him fill out our roster.
Venkman: How?
Spengler: We'll draft the kid.
Venkman: 'Scuse me Egon? You said drafting the kid was bad!
Stantz: Draft the kid...
Venkman: You're gonna endanger us, you're gonna endanger our free agent - the nice 6th man of the year candidate, who played really well, before we didn't have his Bird rights...
Spengler: Not necessarily. There's definitely a VERY SLIM chance we'll survive.

Venkman: I love this plan! I'm excited to be a part of it! LET'S DO IT!
Zeddemore: That contract is definitely not worth $11.5M a year.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

I'd gamble a second rounder on that, yes.

 

[Kingz19]

I’d probably draft Bronny 13 if it was for sure LeBron would come to the Kings lol.,.but I don’t think LeBron is really considering going to whatever team drafts Bronny.

I think the Lakers use their second rounder or trade up in the second round and draft him themselves.

Maybe if Cleveland drafted him and there is some sort of trade for Donovan Mitchell. Other than that I don’t see LeBron leaving the Lakers. Honestly I think Cleveland would be better for one or two years with a middle aged LeBron than they currently are with prime Mitchell. So i don’t think it’s crazy that Cleveland would opt to go in that direction rather than lose Mitchell for nothing.

 

[Warhawk]

There would be a certain symmetry to LBJ playing his first NBA game in Sacramento and then finishing up his career here, while launching his son's career in the process.

 

[coolhandluke]

Kings fans so desperate that they want to draft Bronny and somehow get LeBron? I thought it was just a joke. How far have we fallen?

The Kings won't bow before the King or his prince.

 

[KingsFanSince85]

You're asking LeBron to opt out of a $51M option to come to Sac to take the MLE. Then you're asking him, at the age of 40, to win us a championship. A championship that, if we won it, would always be the LeBron championship and never the Sacramento championship.

There are just so many ways for this to go wrong.

I gotta say, I basically feel like Venkman at the end of Ghostbusters about this...

No, I'm not. I'm simply asking if, hypothetically, that lineup/roster would be a legitimate title contender.

I thought I did a good job prefacing that it was a very unlikely possibility, sans LBJ REALLY wanting to play with his kid before he retires soon.

Just thought it was an interesting hypothetical to ponder since it's TDOS and also considering that most on this forum don't see many viable paths to drastically improving this team. Well, if LBJ was really serious about playing with whichever team drafted his son regardless of $$$, then that would certainly be a way for whichever team to drastically improve.

I'm fully aware that it's more likely that an alien invasion occurs before LBJ ends up in SAC. Just thought it would be interesting to see how many might believe that adding the still effective 39 year old would make this team a legit contender.

I definitely believe they'd be a lot better than the LAL team he's on now.

 

[KingsFanSince85]

There would be a certain symmetry to LBJ playing his first NBA game in Sacramento and then finishing up his career here, while launching his son's career in the process.

That was one of the reasons I posed the hypothetical. Along with LBJ previously stating he wanted to play with whichever team landed his son. And also because the vast majority seems to believe that this KINGS team has no immediate path toward drastic improvement.

I am fully aware of all the roadblocks that would prevent it from happening. But in some rare alternative universe where it did happen, would that roster be good enough to compete for a championship? That's what I am curious to know what others think.

In reality I wouldn't want to see it happen for some of the reasons Capt Factorial pointed out, in addition to not liking the player much anymore. That said, I would much prefer to see LBJ whine and cry every game than to see that Washington Wizards loser KK don a KINGS uniform, that I can tell you for certain.

 

[KingsFanSince85]

Kings fans so desperate that they want to draft Bronny and somehow get LeBron? I thought it was just a joke. How far have we fallen?.

It basically is. It wasn't meant to be considered as a serious possibility. Just a hypothetical, for reasons stated above.

But if you really want to tear me apart for it, I'd might argue that the pipe dream of trading for Mikal Bridges in the other thread is probably even less likely to happen.

 

[nikefutbolero]

If Bron would guarantee us 2 years, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

 

[QWERTYLICIOUS]

While I agree that having Bronny in Sacramento would make for a nice storyline, and the national media would immediately start talking about us based on the fact that, well, he is LeBron's son, I would ONLY draft him if ALL possible options are off of the table when we pick in the second round, should he still be available.

Based on the mock draft on nbadraft.net, which I frequent all the way up until draft day, he is not even listed, but we all know that this can change.

Also, based on the same mock draft, there are a handful of others who they have going in round two, and that might still be available when our second round pick comes around, that I would probably want to draft before Bronny.

 

[megapoxy]

Marketwise the "King" joining the Kings would hit well... but I am fed up with LBJ and his bandwagon fans following him everywhere (in social media at least) so it's a "No" from me. He would be a major upgrade compared with HB in the lineup though...