Don’t expect Bronny James to be in both NBA leagues next season, says his agent, Rich Paul.
In an interview with Chris Haynes from Bleacher ReportPaul said he will not allow his client to sign a two-way contract:
“Yes, that’s absolutely true,” Paul said. “The teams know that. I’m not going to do that.”
Each NBA roster has up to three spots for players who sign two-way contracts. Players on two-way contracts receive the same salary whether they are in the NBA or G League and can be active for up to 50 games with their NBA teams.
In April, James, 19, son of NBA superstar LeBron James, declared for the NBA Draft. He is expected to remain available and not return for his second college season after being medically cleared by the NBA’s Fitness to Play Panel after suffering cardiac arrest during practice last July.
Bronny’s draft stock places him as a candidate to be selected sometime in the second round. According to Shams Charania of AthleticThe Phoenix Suns, whose only pick is 22nd overall, will hold a workout for Bronny next week.
Despite numerous invitations, Bronny is only expected to work out for a few teams, including the Suns and Los Angeles Lakers.
Bronny’s draft spot has sparked speculation that his father, who has a player option deadline of June 29, could follow him. And while LeBron may or may not want to leave the Lakers to play with his son, Paul is focused on Bronny’s immediate future.
“If it lines up where he can play with his dad, great,” Paul told Haynes. “Am I necessarily focused on that? No, not at all. I’m focused on a team plan investment and seriousness when it comes to fit and opportunity.
“We know it’s going to take some development, but what does that really look like? The teams I’ve talked to know exactly where I stand. I’m not going to mess around in this process. We’re going to execute our plan.”