How close was Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James to getting drafted by the Golden State Warriors?
The LeBron James-Bronny James duo has become a powerful storyline in the NBA over the past few months, for obvious reasons.
However, with the younger James getting selected at No. 55 in the 2024 NBA draft, various teams had the chance to draft Bronny and spoil the Lakers' father-son pairing.
One of those teams was the Warriors, who reportedly gave serious consideration to drafting James at No. 52 overall.
A new report from Bleacher Report's Mike Chiari (citing ESPN's Ramona Shelburne) indicates that the Warriors passed on Bronny out of respect for LeBron.
"According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, the Warriors "liked Bronny's skill set," but they decided against taking him at No. 52 overall to "respect the wishes" of his father and Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James," Chiari said on Friday.
Golden State's rationale behind passing on Bronny -- deference towards LeBron -- is a rare and strange occurrence in the cutthroat world of professional sports.
Why would the Warriors be concerned about respecting LeBron's personal wishes over the impetus of their own franchise?
There must be something more to the decision, and indeed, Golden State may be still harboring hopes that it can land the elder James via trade in the near future.
The Warriors attempted to trade for LeBron before the deadline last season but were unsuccessful.
Still, with LeBron turning 40 in December and his son signing with the Lakers, it's becoming increasingly likely that the Hall of Famer will retire in purple and gold.
Were the Warriors too accommodating in their decision regarding Bronny James?
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