The Celtics have the No. 30 pick.
Bill Simmons has an idea.
The Ringer founder proposed a wild scenario for next week’s 2024 NBA Draft, in which Boston picks Bronny James, son of Lakers star LeBron, and holds him for ransom.
“Here’s my case: everybody says this draft sucks,” Simmons said on “The Bill Simmons Podcast” on Thursday. The Celtics are so deep… anyone in this draft isn’t going to play for them. Why not take Bronny, and you basically hold him hostage? Because all these other teams want him, right?”
Bronny’s draft status has been a hot topic since he declared himself eligible after one season at USC.
He’s long been connected to his father, who has often said he’s dreampt of playing alongside his eldest child.
This week, however, their agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, said that LeBron is “off” the idea of playing together.
Simmons, who recently revealed he’s heard buzz about the elder James and the Phoenix Suns, didn’t exactly sound convinced.
“I’m saying for the asset,” he said. “The Lakers, you want him? Well, we took Bronny, so give us Max Christie. How bad do you want him? I would say Bronny the asset at 30 as a trade thing is worth more than anyone they could get here.
His guests weren’t on board with the idea.
“That doesn’t sound toxic at all,” Chris Ryan told him sarcastically, with Rob Mahoney calling Simmons’ idea “deranged behavior.”
Simmons persisted with this outlandish theory, suggesting it could rival the plot of Liam Neeson’s “Taken.”
Simmons, who grew up in Boston and has attended multiple NBA Finals games dating back to his childhood watching Larry Bird, has an obvious rivalry with the Lakers.
The Ringer founder is ignoring a theory he and co-host Ryen Russillo talk about constantly.
If the Celtics did this with Bronny, Paul would not take too kindly, all but killing their relationship with Klutch, one of the most powerful representation groups in basketball.
The Knicks and Klutch Sports only recently settled their differences with Paul after years of tumultuous relationship dealings.
Paul told reporters that the Suns and Lakers are the only ones that have worked out James and that the Timberwolves, Mavericks, and Raptors are all interested.
