Suns owner Mat Ishbia breaks silence on Bronny James pursuit
Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia believes Los Angeles Lakers rookie Bronny James would have been a “good fit” alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in Phoenix.
“I don’t know exactly where Bronny wanted to go. We really liked Bronny. We thought he was a good player,” Ishbia said on the Pat McAfee Show. “I know the Lakers drafted him. I hope he has a great career. He’s got a great basketball IQ, he does a lot of great things, and he’s got a lot of pressure. To be the son of one of the greatest of all time, he’s got a lot of pressure.
“And so, we thought it might be a good fit here in Phoenix.”
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reported that James reportedly worked out for only the Lakers and the Suns during the pre-draft process leading up to the 2024 NBA Draft, despite interest from at least six other teams.
The Suns entered the 2024 NBA Draft with just the No. 22 pick but made a draft-day deal to acquire the Nos. 28 and 56 picks. Phoenix general manager James Jones then traded the No. 56 selection to move up to No. 40. While the No. 28 pick was likely too early to select James, who was not projected as a first-rounder, the No. 40 selection seemed realistic.
Was Bronny James ever going to join the Suns?
Phoenix had a draft pick right in the area where James was expected to be selected. If the Lakers had gotten cold feet, LeBron James and his son may have never gotten the chance to play together. But when the Suns were on the clock with the 40th overall pick, they went with Marquette’s Oso Ighodaro, leaving James to fall to the Lakers toward the end of the second round.
“I wish (Bronny James) the best,” Ishbia said. “But we feel good. People want to come here. We want Phoenix to be a destination for the Mercury, for the Suns, for the players, for fans. We want it to be a destination so when people want to play for us or want to be part of our organization, whether it’s free agents, whether it’s rookies, it feels great.”
“We’re trying to build that here in Phoenix. We’re trying to do something special. So it’s always a positive thing, in my opinion.”
In two Summer League games for the Lakers, Bronny James has averaged five points, four rebounds, and 0.5 assists per game in 25.9 minutes; he hasn’t connected on a single 3-point attempt, either.
