Notable Western Conference team considered drafting Bronny James

Jul 10, 2024; San Francisco, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James Jr. (9) between plays against the Miami Heat during the fourth quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

It never seemed like a realistic possibility that Bronny James would wind up with a team other than the Los Angeles Lakers, but at least one Western Conference rival legitimately considered drafting the 19-year-old guard.

In a piece published on Friday, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne revealed that the Golden State Warriors contemplated taking James with the 52nd overall pick in the NBA Draft earlier this year. The Lakers had the 55th pick, and LeBron James had yet to sign a new contract. Some with the Warriors thought about selecting Bronny and possibly trying to recruit LeBron as a free agent.

According to Shelburne, the Warriors decided against drafting Bronny in order to respect LeBron’s wishes, which were to play with his son on the Lakers. There were some questions about whether LeBron would even sign with a different team if that team drafted his son, so that was probably a consideration for Golden State as well.

The Warriors reportedly made a run at trading for LeBron last season. That is why it is not hard to believe that they at least considered the possibility of adding both Bronny and LeBron to their roster. LeBron’s agent Rich Paul is said to have had a specific reason for telling Golden State a trade was not going to happen.

Even with Klay Thompson out of the picture, the Warriors still want to contend for another NBA title as long as they have Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. They will have to find a way to do that without LeBron or his son.