It all worked out perfectly this summer when the Lakers selected Bronny with the 55th overall pick. But according to NBA insider Ramona Shelburne, the Golden State Warriors nearly spoiled the plans on draft night before deciding against it to honor LeBron’s wishes.
“The Golden State Warriors, who had tried to trade for James last season, weighed whether to take Bronny at No. 52. The Warriors liked Bronny’s skill set and had him on their draft board,” wrote ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. “Selecting him ahead of the Lakers, who held the 55th pick, would’ve been a shrewd move — perhaps even to entice James to sign there as a free agent. But ultimately, sources said, the Warriors opted to respect the wishes James had made clear and the Lakers signaled they would grant.”
After a modest season at USC, where he averaged 4.8 points per game, Bronny James was projected as a second-round pick in the draft and various teams across the league showed some degree of interest. Bronny himself has his eyes set on the Lakers from the start and he had his agent, Rich Paul, warn against other teams from taking him.
With the 52nd pick, the Warriors were considering all their options and Bronny was an early target for them despite his connection to the Lakers. As a two-way point guard who can handle the ball and shoot from the perimeter, he had all the skills that the Warriors were looking for and they had visions of slotting him into a role as the backup point guard behind Stephen Curry.
Some fans even theorized that the Warriors could have later pulled off a trade for LeBron James, just like they tried to do once already. They would have had LeBron and Curry along with Bronny James going for one last title run.
Ultimately, the Warriors decided against drafting Bronny for the same reason they never traded for James. Since signing with the Lakers in 2018, LeBron has been fiercely loyal and he’s made it clear that this is his ideal place to end his career.
With the franchises dedicated to his success and a team built to enhance his game, LeBron’s best odds are with the Lakers and both he and his son wanted to don the Purple and Gold during their time in the league together.
The Warriors ended up drafting, then trading, Quinten Post instead of Bronny, who was available at 55 for the Lakers to pick up. It’s too early to say how their partnership will look on the court together but the vibes have been immaculate so far with the father/son duo serving as the main attraction for the organization.
At 39 years old, James only has a few years left of NBA action, and thanks to the Warriors’ restraint, he gets to live out his ultimate baseball dream by sharing the court with his son. This scenario has been years in the making and LeBron is going to enjoy every bit of it that he can.
The Warriors have their own superstar to worry about and they are more obligated to ensure his success than to comply with LeBron’s hopes and dreams.
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