The second round of the 2024 NBA Draft took place on June 27. It was the first multi-day draft in NBA history, and at least 15 picks were traded during the second round. When all 28 picks were solidified, 15 selections had been swapped; some multiple times. The Thunder was the most active in acquiring and converting draft capital.
When Sam Presti’s crew offloaded Lindy Waters III to the Warriors for the No. 52 pick, it
created a notable chain reaction. The move had dictated how other teams’ moves in the chess game would take place.
It was interesting going into the second round for a particular player, which is Bronny James Jr., LeBron James’s son. He was not drafted in the first round of the NBA draft. It raised some concern and tensions for James Jr.’s future because it was already speculated that he may not be ready to play at the NBA level. However, he was chosen as the 55th pick by the Los Angeles Lakers.
This creates a narrative that there is a dream in Los Angeles. Now Bronny is playing with his
father for an incredibly famous organization known amongst all sports in America and even the world. His draft pick is controversial to many because people believe Bronny is not ready. Whenbhe was at the University of Southern California, he averaged 4.8 points per game.
This looks fun for America to see Bronny teammate up with his father, so this opportunity looks overall good for Bronny. It is a new era for the Lakers with the recent hiring of JJ Redick as head coach, and it is good they have Dalton Knecht as the 17th overall pick from the first round of the Draft.
Last season, Bronny struggled with USC after he suffered cardiac arrest last summer. He began his season recovering from the incident. He is a skilled defender, has a high IQ and makes smart plays. It is possible that this pick for the Lakers was not just to make LeBron James happy, but because Bronny can develop into something they can visualize.
Another interesting situation in the 2024 NBA Draft is that Kyle Filipowski from Duke was
drafted No. 32 to Utah Jazz. For it being in the second round, that is excellent value. Filipowski was an All-American at Duke and was a former five-star. The Jazz got a 7-footer with his versatility past his 20s, even in round 2 which is surprising.
The New York Knicks look like they got a great pick at No. 56. They landed Kevin McCuller Jr.
from Kansas. He could end up being a rotation player early for New York. He has made great
strides as a shooter and is a versatile wing who plays with relentless effort on offense and
defense. The small forward brings excellent value to the Knicks.
Overall, the leading topic of the NBA Draft for the second round seems to be Bronny James Jr., due to his below average season at USC. There was no shortage of trade on the second day of the draft.
Players like Tyler Kolek, Johnny Furphy, and Kyle Filipowski were all projected to go drafted in the first round. Instead, they became value picks on day two, and they were not the only value picks. There is an assumption that some picks will outperform their draft slot since they were chosen late. This year was considered a down draft, but the players drafted are still great athletes who will advance their games in the league.
