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Could the Utah Jazz Really Land LeBron James If They Draft Bronny?

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Could the Utah Jazz Really Land LeBron James If They Draft Bronny?


Bronny JamesJeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images

In an NBA draft that has reportedly been described by multiple league executives as “the worst draft they have ever seen,” eyes, posts and analysis have naturally drifted to second-round prospect Bronny James.

The son of LeBron James averaged 4.8 points and shot 36.6 percent from the field as a freshman at USC and then measured in at 6’1.5″ without shoes at the draft combine, but at least one team may be interested in picking him just after the first round.

“The [Utah] Jazz have expressed interest in bringing Bronny in for an individual workout and could be interested in him with the 32nd pick,” Yahoo Sports’ Krysten Peek wrote. “The franchise has been patiently rebuilding behind the leadership of Danny Ainge, and bringing in Bronny with the hopes of luring a superstar like LeBron could be the jump owner Ryan Smith is looking for to add a spark to the Jazz.”

In April, Ainge (the team’s CEO) said Utah would go “big game hunting,” and a ploy to attract LeBron would certainly qualify as that.

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But it’s fair to wonder how realistic that pursuit would be.

It’s no secret that the Jazz don’t play in one of the league’s big or glamour markets. That makes attracting any free agents (or trade demanders) tough. And if LeBron were to decline his player option or ask L.A. to move him, he’d instantly be the biggest name available, despite the fact that he turns 40 next season.

It’s easy to see why Utah would be interested. Few athletes in the history of sports attract as much as attention as LeBron. And he’s currently smashing preconceived notions about the effects of age on a star.

With 25.7 points, 8.3 assists, 7.3 rebounds, 2.1 threes and a 41.0 three-point percentage, LeBron was arguably one of the 5-10 best players in the league this season.

Beyond drawing more eyeballs to the organization, which boasts LeBron’s former teammate Dwyane Wade as a minority owner, he and Lauri Markkanen would make for a potentially devastating one-two punch on offense. Walker Kessler has the potential to be a bona fide defensive anchor behind them, too. Keyonte George showed some potential as a combo guard.

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But does all of that add up to contention in the ultra-competitive West? Would it put James any closer to his fifth title than the Los Angeles Lakers already do? Even if it does, would the difference be meaningful enough to take LeBron out of L.A., where the TV and movie industries are and where LeBron has established roots for over half a decade?

If we’re being honest, the answer is almost certainly no.

So, back to the original report. Would Utah having Bronny on the roster trump all of the above for LeBron?

A year-and-a-half ago, he told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin: “I need to be on the floor with my boy. I got to be on the floor with Bronny.”

“Either in the same uniform or a matchup against him,” LeBron added. “I would love to do the whole Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. thing. That would be ideal for sure.”

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For months, that was interpreted as both LeBron wanting to be on the same team as his son and as a potential opportunity to lure James away from the Lakers. And that interpretation seemed pretty reasonable in the wake of this year’s elimination by the Denver Nuggets. Right after L.A. lost Game 5, The Athletic reported that the Lakers had a “willingness to draft James’ son Bronny in June.”

Of course, they don’t pick until the 50s, which opens the door for most of the league, including the Jazz, to take Bronny before L.A. can. And if he follows an up-and-down showing at the combine with some strong individual workouts with teams, more teams than Utah might talk themselves into taking a flier on him.

The height measurement raised some eyebrows (in part because he was listed at 6’4″ in college), but Bronny also had a 6’7.25″ wingspan. That’s good for a guard and even comparable to some wings. And there were only five players who topped his 40.5-inch max vertical leap.

He backed up those encouraging marks with a team-high 13 points in his second combine scrimmage.

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport

Bronny at the NBA Combine today 👀<br><br>13 PTS (team-high)<br>4-10 FG<br>23 MINS <a href=”https://t.co/WTstFxUe1r”>pic.twitter.com/WTstFxUe1r</a>

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Again, if that earned him some workouts and he does well in those, the Jazz might not be the only team willing to take a shot on him (and the potential of adding his dad to the roster).

But there are a lot of ifs, ands and buts throughout this text, including LeBron sort of downplaying the idea of teaming up with his son a few months after the ESPN interview (though he still maintained that it was his goal in those comments).

The biggest caveat, at least for Utah, may be the team’s prospects for getting LeBron his fifth title.

Barring some other dramatic move, a LeBron-Markkanen-led rotation probably wouldn’t leapfrog the Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks. Several others in the West should bounce back (like the Memphis Grizzlies) or are on the rise (like the Houston Rockets), too.

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We could level the same criticism at the Lakers, who just got knocked out in the first round, but they came with the all the glitz and glam of L.A.

In short, every team but the Lakers should only be thinking about drafting Bronny for Bronny. He will be his own player, and organizations should focus their interest on that player.

If he does enough during the workout phase of the pre-draft process to get selected, great. If not, there’s no reason to dangle him like a carrot for a player who’s nearing the end of his career.





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Data centers raise air quality and environmental concerns in Utah, doctor says

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Data centers raise air quality and environmental concerns in Utah, doctor says


A Utah physician is warning that 21 data centers in various stages of development could significantly worsen air quality along the Wasatch Front.

Dr. Brian Moench, with Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, said the planned data centers are cause for alarm. Each facility is expected to generate its own electricity using natural gas power plants.

While natural gas is cleaner than coal, Moench said it still produces nitrogen oxide, which contributes significantly to ozone, particulate formation, and smog.

“There’s no safe level of air pollution. All of it is harmful, even at the very lowest doses,” Moench said.

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Moench said health advocates have legitimate reasons to be concerned about what the facilities could mean for public health in the region.

“There is a real legitimate concern on the part of any health advocates about what this impact will mean to the Wasatch Front and public health if all these data centers are built or even if just a few of them are, and that’s not to address the impact on the Great Salt Lake shrinking up and becoming a toxic dust bowl. That’s the next leg of this argument,” he said.

Moench also raised concerns about electronic waste. As computer chips and equipment become obsolete and are replaced, he said the volume of e-waste produced is something no one has yet addressed.

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This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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Teens airlifted to Utah County hospitals after rollover of at least 50 yards | Gephardt Daily

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Teens airlifted to Utah County hospitals after rollover of at least 50 yards | Gephardt Daily


Photo: Utah County Sheriff

UTAH COUNTY, May 11, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — Two males, ages 14 and 19, were transported to area hospitals Sunday after the side-by-side they were riding rolled down the side of a mountain.

Utah County Sheriff deputies and Santaquin police responded to the 6:07 p.m. call. Two medical helicopters were called to the scene, in the Pole Canyon area, as was a Department of Public Safety helicopter with a hoist in case it was needed, Sgt. Austin Edwards, Utah County Sheriff‘s Office, told Gephardt Daily.

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“Eventually, rescue workers were able to make it to the spot on the hill where the vehicle had come to rest, and they were able to secure the victims, stabilize the victims, and get them back down the hill again to where the helicopters were waiting,” Edwards said.

“The 19-year-old male was transported to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, and the 14 year old was transported to Primary Children’s in Lehi.”

Both were said to have critical injuries, which were not considered to be life threatening, Edwards said.

“The cause of the rollover is still under investigation, so we don’t have that information available just yet.”

Two black Polaris RZR side-by-side off-road vehicles wrecked in a brushy area, one shown from the side with exposed roll cage and damaged seating, the other from a similar angle with dented body panels.

Photos: Utah County Sheriff





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Utah Jazz jump to #2 in the lottery, plus full results

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Utah Jazz jump to #2 in the lottery, plus full results


In what has a chance to be one of the most important nights in Jazz history, the Utah Jazz jumped in the NBA Lottery to the #2 spot for the upcoming NBA draft.

Here are the final results, which show all the movement.

Aside from it being a massive night for the Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies, and Bulls, it was a devastating night for a few teams, but no one more than the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers, in their trade for Ivica Zubac, had a stipulation on their pick that if the pick was top-4 they kept it. But if it fell below 4, they would give it to the Clippers which is exactly what happened. Now, the Clippers, who are without Zubac, find themselves with a #5 pick to build around.

For the Jazz this is a culmination of four years of rebuilding that ends with an extremely satisfying end. Utah will now have one of the tier-1 players from this draft: AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson. The player Utah drafts will be one of their cornerstone pieces and will have the chance to not only play, but be a part of a team that will be competing for the playoffs this season.

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The Utah Jazz now have a Sinister Six core: Darryn Peterson (If AJ Dybantsa goes #1), Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler (if he signs). It’s quite the core with a mix of youth and veterans in their prime. With this group, the Jazz will have a chance to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Yes, the Thunder and Spurs are going to be difficult to beat, but Utah has the mix of talent, coaching, and depth that could absolutely do the trick.

Now the Utah Jazz look forward to the NBA Draft that be on June 23rd. Let the posturing begin!!



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