Could the Phoenix Suns have a "Big 4" in the 2024-25 NBA season?
A report from NBA Insider Evan Sidery about the NBA team hoping to "lure" James to Phoenix to join Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal created waves throughout the league on Sunday.
Sidery wrote on X: "The Suns are hoping to pursue LeBron James this offseason, which is why Bronny James is a very serious draft option at No. 22 overall to potentially lure him in. Phoenix appears to believe they can convince LeBron to join forces with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal to create a historic superteam. LeBron would be sacrificing almost $50 million next season if he were to legitimately consider joining the Suns on a veteran’s minimum contract. Could the Suns really be plotting LeBron and Bronny as their big plan? It certainly seems that’s on the table."
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Speculation about LeBron James potentially coming to Phoenix took off late last week when The Athletic's Shams Charania reported that Phoenix would work out Bronny James, LeBron James' son, ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft.
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Charania posted on X Friday morning: "The Phoenix Suns will conduct a workout with Bronny James ahead of the June NBA Draft, sources say. Phoenix has the 22nd pick and he is among several players in consideration. Bronny has over 10 workout invites but is expected to only visit a few teams, including Lakers and Suns."
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Part of that speculation included several NBA insiders and writers detailing why LeBron James on the Suns wasn't that far-fetched, with Phoenix's proximity to Los Angeles, LeBron James' relationship with Kevin Durant, his history with Suns GM James Jones and the NBA superstar potentially taking less money being listed among reasons why the Suns could potentially land LeBron James as a free agent, should they take Bronny James in the 2024 NBA Draft.
LeBron James can opt out of his contract for the 2024-25 season and become a free agent, which would likely be the only way Phoenix could land him, as the team is very limited financially due to being well over the NBA salary cap.
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LeBron James to Phoenix Suns speculation increases after report
Sidery's report that LeBron James could potentially join the Suns on a veteran's minimum contract set off a new round of speculation with Phoenix on social media (check out the replies to Sidery's post) and in stories.
Ahnfiredigitial.com's Jesse Cinquini wrote that it would be "poetic" to see Durant and LeBron James join forces.
"Perhaps a playmaker of James’ caliber to complement their trio of elite scorers is what the Suns need in order to make a deep run in the 2025 NBA Playoffs," he wrote. "James is one of the greatest passers the game has ever seen, as he ranks fourth in NBA history in regular-season assists and second behind only former Lakers floor general Magic Johnson in playoff assists. Furthermore, across 71 games played (all starts) with Los Angeles during the 2023-24 regular season, James averaged a team-high 8.3 assists per contest. After competing against one another for such a long time, it would be poetic to see two of the best players of their generation in James and Durant finally join forces."
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Sports Illustrated detailed the "massive noise" the Suns could make in the offseason.
Donnie Druin wrote: "Bronny — son of LeBron — will be working out for the Suns ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft, which begins on June 26. Some in the NBA world believe a team drafting the USC guard would do so in hopes of obtaining his father, who has a player-option he can decline with the Los Angeles Lakers this summer. The NBA offseason never fails to deliver on drama and storylines, though it's clear the Suns could make some massive noise this summer."
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Fansided's Jonathan Lurensky wrote that you just couldn't "rule out" the LeBron James to Phoenix possibility amid LeBron's connections to the Suns.
"Obviously, we have no idea what the outcome will be at the No. 22 pick right now and if the Suns would draft Bronny James with their only pick," he wrote. "Given the inexperience and bold decision-making we've seen from Ishba to this point — and general manager James Jones' connections to LeBron — however, it can't be ruled out."
Could the Suns really add LeBron James in the NBA offseason? It's something to monitor as the offseason speculation and rumors heat up in Phoenix.
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Reach Jeremy Cluffatjeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com.Follow him on X, formerly Twitter@Jeremy_Cluff.
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