On the night of the 2024 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers made the polarizing decision to select Bronny James with the 55th overall pick. After all, his father, future Hall of Famer LeBron James, was still a prominent player on the roster, and many cried nepotism following the Lakers’ selection on draft night.
Now that LeBron is out, Bronny’s future with the Lakers will be interesting to monitor, as it’s unclear whether the front office still sees merit in keeping him for the long haul. However, a former basketball star in Los Angeles believes that the Lakers made the wrong decision from the jump with Bronny by giving him a contract with huge guarantees despite being drafted towards the end of the second round.
Blake Griffin Criticizes Lakers’ Decision To Give Bronny James Guaranteed Contract
Following the 2024 NBA Draft, the Lakers signed James to a four-year rookie minimum contract worth around $7.9 million. The first two years of this contract, worth around $3 million, were fully guaranteed.
Blake Griffin, the retired Los Angeles Clippers star, appeared on the “We Might Be Drunk” podcast and criticized the Lakers’ decision to sign James two years ago, which only made the former USC guard a bigger lightning rod for criticism.
“If you can get drafted, go get drafted,” he said. “I have zero issues with him getting drafted at the 55th pick. I have zero issues at the Lakers being like, ‘Yeah, we’re going to do this.’ The thing that I think they probably messed up on is, don’t give him $8 million guaranteed. Give him what is normal for that pick.”
“Just give him the normal thing, and you get everybody off his back. Have him play in the G League,” Griffin concluded.
Blake Griffin says the Lakers should not have given Bronny James $8,000,000 guaranteed as the 55th pick in the NBA Draft
“If you can get drafted, go get drafted. I have zero issues with him getting drafted at the 55th pick. I have zero issues at the Lakers being like, ‘Yeah,… pic.twitter.com/3RKZLsyRc2
— dank (@cptdankkk) August 31, 2026
Many fans then returned the criticism to Griffin, with some even calling him a “pocket-watcher”.
“Besides the obvious pocket watching it’s crazy how uninformed he his on NBA contracts for Rookies. Since 2023 this is price rookies at the pick are signing. Bronny’s 8M isn’t fully guaranteed only had two years guaranteed around 4.3M,” the X user explained.
“That literally is the standard contract for 2nd rounders tho. 2nd rounders also negotiate their own contract and he just happens to have to beat agent in the sport. Also with my money the lakers made off of his name he deserves that 8 million,” a fan clarified.
That literally is the standard contract for 2nd rounders tho. 2nd rounders also negotiate their own contract and he just happens to have to beat agent in the sport. Also with my money the lakers made off of his name he deserves that 8 million.
— Dorian Wright (@Dwright88146) August 31, 2026
Moreover, the former Clippers star’s numbers aren’t even correct. James’ contract was fully guaranteed by the Lakers for around $3 million, with a partial guarantee of $1.3 million for the 2026-27 season.
One fan didn’t like how Griffin went on a podcast to count another man’s money, especially since he earned around $258.7 million in contract earnings alone over his 14 years in the NBA.
“Imagine hating on another grown [expletive] man’s money😂😂😂 Blake sad [expletive] Griffin!!!!” the fan wrote.
“Speaking on another’s man’s money? lol I didn’t know dawg made 8 million,” another one pointed out.
Speaking on another’s man’s money? lol I didn’t know dawg made 8 million
— Dorian Daytona Jr. (@TheGreatDaytona) August 31, 2026
Another social media user then pointed out that Griffin is like a pot calling the kettle black, with the fan believing that he was more than content to just collect checks as he played a mere 18 games in the 2019-20 season amid injury woes.
“Blake sat out a whole season collecting checks in Detroit. Now he’s worried about somebody else’s guaranteed money? The math ain’t mathing,” the fan called out.
“remember him getting payed loot to sit on the pistons bench and act hurt but the game after he leaves he was dunking again. fall back brotha,” another one seconded.
remember him getting payed loot to sit on the pistons bench and act hurt but the game after he leaves he was dunking again. fall back brotha
— melior vir (@meliorvir) August 31, 2026
“At the end of the day, James is still a member of the Lakers, with LA fully guaranteeing his contract worth $2.3 million for the 2026-27 season by keeping him on the roster past June 29 (the deadline for guaranteeing his contract).
The Lakers hold a team option for James’ contract for the 2027-28 campaign, worth around $2.5 million. This is completely non-guaranteed.
Through 69 games thus far in his brief NBA career, James is averaging 2.7 points and 1.2 assists in 8.9 minutes per contest.
