Avery Johnson predicts Bronny James playing with LeBron James on Lakers is inevitable amid his draft rumors: "He's ready for NBA"

Even though Bronny James is not considered a lottery pick 2024 NBA draft, he's drawn a lot of attention with his decision to leave college after one rocky freshman year. Many are speculating about James's future, with the LA Lakers reportedly considered a likely landing spot for LeBron James' first son.

Former NBA player and coach Avery Johnson predicted that the Jameses will join forces at Crypto.com Arena.

"Some people are saying 'No,' 'Closer,' 'He's almost there,' but his agent and his dad is saying, 'Ready,' Johnson said in a video shared on X on Thursday. "He's ready for the NBA, independent of what anybody's opinions are. So, he's going to stay in the draft.

"He's probably going to be drafted by the Lakers, and his dad's going to re-sign with the Lakers and live out his dream of playing with his son."

Johnson added that regardless of whatever people are saying, if one person says he's ready, then Bronny James is ready. On Wednesday, his agent, Rich Paul, announced through ESPN that he will stay in the draft instead of returning to college, confirming that he's confident that he can get a spot in the association this year.

NBA insider says landing Bronny James could cost Lakers $7 million

Amid all the speculation about his NBA future, Bronny James remains a likely target for the Lakers. NBA insider Jovan Buha talked about the situation on Wednesday, breaking down the potential Lakers path to land James.

"There are very good chances (the Lakers acquire Bronny)," Buhan said. "I think (pick) No. 17 is going to be a little too high for Bronny, sounding right now like he's more of a late first-round pick into early to mid-second-round pick territory. I've been told picks 25 to 40 is a wide range in terms of how teams view those prospects."

The reporter then noted that the Lakers could look to move this draft pick for help and would use the No. 34 selection to land James.

"More realistically, if you see Bronny ending up on the Lakers, it's likely them either trading back or buying a pick and then acquiring Bronny," Buha said. "So, maybe he goes like pick 34, early in the second round, and whatever team that drafts him has an agreement with the Lakers where they then trade Bronny, Lakers could send cash up to about $7 million."

The Lakers are a competitive team already. They are looking to add firepower to compete for championships, but this is also a priority for LeBron James. The Utah Jazz were also mentioned among the potential Bronny's landing spots, but as the days go by, the Lakers' option gets bigger for Bronny James.