How close was Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James to being drafted by the Golden State Warriors?

The LeBron James-Bronny James duo has become a strong story in the NBA in recent months for obvious reasons.

However, with the younger James being selected 55th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, various teams had a chance to draft Bronny and destroy the Lakers’ father-son pairing.

One of those teams was the Warriors, who were reportedly seriously considering drafting James at No. 52 overall.

A new report from Bleacher Report’s Mike Chiari (citing ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne) indicates that the Warriors waived Bronny out of respect for LeBron.

“According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, the Warriors “liked Bronny’s skills” but decided against drafting him at No. 52 overall to “respect the wishes” of his father and Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.” Chiari said Friday.

Golden State’s reasoning for passing on Bronny — deference to LeBron — is a rare and strange occurrence in the cutthroat world of professional sports.

Why should the Warriors worry about respecting LeBron’s personal wishes instead of influencing the dynamics of their own franchise?

There must be something else behind the decision, and in fact Golden State may still hold out hope of acquiring the elder James via trade in the near future.

The Warriors tried to trade for LeBron before the deadline last season but were unsuccessful.

But 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 forthcoming in their decision regarding Bronny James?

More NBA: Will LeBron push the Lakers into a surprise blockbuster trade with the Bulls?