Klutch Sports founder Rich Paul apparently had a plan for Bronny James — and was threatening teams not to mess it up.
Former Warriors front office leader Bob Myers is on ESPN’s NBA Draft telecast, and he revealed that Paul has been working the phones and warning them that if they select LeBron James’ eldest son they will not have access to his services.
That was before the Lakers selected Bronny with the No. 55 pick in the second round.
“Rich Paul’s calling teams and saying, ‘Don’t take Bronny James.'” Myers said Thursday afternoon on ESPN.
“He’s telling them, ‘Do not take them.’ OK? He’s saying, ‘Don’t take him. If you take him he’s going to Australia. So he has a plan and he has a place.”
In a follow-up segment, Myers said, “I think we can all imagine what the goal is for Rich Paul in that situation. There’s a difference between hoping that happens and making sure that happens.”
He added that the message to teams picking ahead of the Lakers is effectively: “If you’re thinking about it, don’t do it.”
Bronny has been a particularly controversial NBA Draft prospect, as his nominal stats do not jump off the page.
As a freshman at USC, he averaged just 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
Nevertheless, his season was compromised as he suffered a bout of cardiac arrest last year.
Paul had previously told ESPN that LeBron was “off” the years-long fixation of playing with his son.
“LeBron is off this idea of having to play with Bronny,” Paul said earlier this month. “If he does, he does. But if he doesn’t, he doesn’t. There’s no deal made that it’s guaranteed that if the Lakers draft Bronny at 55, he [LeBron] will re-sign. If that was the case, I would force them to take him at 17. We don’t need leverage. The Lakers can draft Bronny and LeBron doesn’t re-sign.”
