BONUS EPISODE: Lakers Draft Bronny James With the 55th Pick. Good Choice or a Waste?

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers made some history on Thursday, selecting Bronny James with the 55th pick in the Draft. It was a move that surprised... well, nobody, but does set up the Lakers to have the first father/son combo on the floor in NBA history.

That's pretty cool! And a testament to LeBron's longevity in the league.

But was it a good pick?

In some ways, it's a weird argument. Bronny is an undersized 19-year old drafted largely for his defensive potential. He's a project. It could be a couple years before he would be expected to have any impact in the league. But that's true of most 55th picks, the vast majority of whom never make even a minor impact in the league. James was drafted in line with his pre-draft rankings, so it's not like the Lakers reached. So much of the discussion, then, is really about the Lakers and James Sr., and whether Bronny is being guided into a space that is ultimately not good for him.

And yes, there are downsides to being drafted by the Lakers for Bronny, starting with the nepotism-gone-wild charges that will follow him. He'll always be perceived by some as the guy who was drafted to keep his dad around/do his dad a favor. It's up to him to show that's not fair, and it won't be easy. On the other hand, he won't find an organization more dedicated to his development than the Lakers. He will have time and support, probably more than the average 55th pick would get. That's helpful.

And yeah, if it reduces the chances of LeBron walking to basically zero, that's good for the Lakers.

All of that said, Rob Pelinka made a big unforced error meeting the media on Thursday, in how he talked about father, son, and the moment at hand.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

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