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Bronny James will struggle to deliver fantasy value, but these other second-round picks could eventually

dan titus
Fantasy analyst
·3 min read
16

The 2024 NBA Draft is complete, and 60 new players have joined the Association. I covered the fantasy winners and losers from Round 1, and now, I’ll discuss my favorite picks from the second round, including Bronny James, who unsurprisingly went to the Lakers. I don’t expect any of these players to be fantasy-relevant now, but we’ll see what the future holds!

The Bronny draft saga ends on Day 2, with him going predictably to the Lakers with the 55th overall pick. Watching Bob Myers detail Rich Paul’s efforts to prevent other teams from drafting Bronny was pretty ridiculous. I don’t know if I believe Bronny would’ve actually played in Australia or that Rich Paul was actively tampering to land Bronny in L.A. in the first place. Was it even necessary? How many teams actually wanted to draft him?

The story would’ve been way better had the Celtics drafted him with the 54th pick.

Imagine the strategic pettiness if they pulled that off. Having your sworn enemy draft LeBron’s son would’ve been the far more entertaining outcome than the result. Still, we know that Bronny will have the opportunity to play with his father, LeBron James, which is pretty cool.

Hopefully, we’ll get to see Bronny play in the Summer League. Considering how Rich Paul is orchestrating this whole storyline, I don’t know if that is a sure bet. He said Bronny won’t be signing a two-way contract, allowing him to go back and forth from the Lakers to their G-League affiliate. So, is the intent to ride the pine and play in blowouts? It’s too early to tell, but the Lakers and Bronny are embarking on an actual development journey where fans and fantasy managers must be extremely patient before seeing any ROI.

Tyler Kolek - G, New York Knicks

The Knicks haven’t missed thus far in the offseason and grabbing the NCAA’s leader in assists was the latest win. Despite being another first-round talent who slid, Thibs runs a tight rotation, so it’ll likely take some injuries for Kolek to crack the rotation. Still, the 23-year-old prospect showcased his efficiency, defense and playmaking in his senior campaign and is ready to contribute if given the opportunity.

Kyle Filipowski - F/C, Utah Jazz

The former Dukie was a projected first-round pick who fell to the second round (32nd overall) to the Utah Jazz. John Collins and Walker Kessler are still ahead of him in the pecking order. However, he does offer some versatility with his ability to play power forward while still being a playmaker with double-double potential. Also, the 7-footer averaged 2.6 stocks per game, so you know Filipowski can get a D-up. Whether he becomes fantasy-relevant will be at the mercy of Danny Ainge electing to sell off some veteran assets.

Adem Bona - C, Philadelphia 76ers

The UCLA center brings instant energy and athleticism to a Sixers team that sorely lacked both last season. The Sixers have so much cap space that they may add a veteran big to complement Embiid and Reed, but a good showing in the Summer League could force Philly to lean into their young big man. He’s a two-time Pac-12 All-Defensive Player whose physicality should help the Sixers frontcourt.