"He can go in for $12 million": Keyshawn Johnson makes bold Bronny James draft prediction as LeBron-Lakers saga continues

The LeBron James saga continues, with rumors of him wanting to play alongside his son, Bronny James, in the next season. NFL legend Keyshawn Johnson believes the four-time MVP may take a significant pay cut simply to play with Bronny.

"If I had the ability to get my son on a team to play with me, I certainly would. Now, once he gets there, he's gotta hold his own. But if I had the ability to, there's no question about it," Johnson said.

"He's a billionaire, he doesn't need the $51 million. He can go in for $12 million. Save cap space," Johnson added. "There are certain things that he can broker along the way because of the power that he holds. You certainly have to cater to certain needs for a star player like this."

There's a good chance that LeBron James will sign with any team that drafts Bronny James, should the young USC guard choose to enter the 2024 NBA Draft. LeBron is reportedly "committed" to the Lakers after the Golden State Warriors and the Philadelphia 76ers inquired about a trade.

James could enter free agency after this season if he chooses to opt out of his $51.4 million player option.

Considering the Lakers star is now worth roughly $1 billion, a pay cut is the least of LeBron's worries.

Who will draft Bronny James?

Numerous rumors suggest that Golden State is one of the frontrunners to pick Bronny James in the draft. This is connected to the trade rumors surrounding the elder James.

But according to some of the latest odds, the Dubs aren't even in the running to get the USC freshman, and there's a completely different list of teams that could instead pick him, including the Lakers.

Here are the odds as of February 15 (via FOX Sports):

• LA Lakers: +750
• New York Knicks: +950
• Miami Heat: +950
• Cleveland Cavaliers: +1100
• OKC Thunder: +1400
• Toronto Raptors: +1700
• LA Clippers: +1700

Another potential contender that emerged was Philadelphia, which could theoretically land Bronny James because some analysts believe they can free up budget space this season to acquire LeBron. Right now, however, Philadelphia is supposedly hard-capped, with a $42.4 million deficit, per Spotrac.

Either way, as much as some fans might want it, there's agreement among analysts that Bronny James is not a high-level draft pick right now. His current struggles with the Trojans are the clear reason, alongside his major health scare, which happened close to the end of last year.