Several Teams Considered Drafting Bronny James Before Deciding Media Attention, Going Against LeBron's Wishes Wasn't Worth It

[RealGM Wiretap]

There were a few teams that considered drafting Bronny James in the second round ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers, but they ultimately decided that going against the wishes of LeBron James and Rich Paul, plus the media attention that would have come with the selection wasn't worth whatever value they saw in Bronny as a prospect.

"It was just about will a team actually have the gall to go and draft him?" said Shams Charania on the Pat McAfee Show about how teams expected Bronny James to be drafted at No. 55. "I was told at least a couple of teams, including the Suns, who did bring him in for a workout, they were the only other team besides the Lakers to work him out. They were a team who did consider it. But I think at the end of the day, Rich Paul, being respectful to LeBron James to an extent, and also understanding the amount of media attention if you draft Bronny James without having the blessing. Without having that relationship.

"If you're the Suns, that opens a pandora's box. Then you start talking 'Does Kevin Durant get traded for LeBron' What does this mean?' Because you know LeBron James at the end of the day wants to play with Bronny. The Suns avoided it. A couple other teams looked at it and avoided it. He ends up with the Lakers. Rich Paul, certainly throughout the second round told teams do not draft Bronny James."

Paul also did something similar with Chris Livingston at last year's draft to direct him to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Via Shams Charania/The Athletic

[The Beam King]

LeBron called in the WAHHmbulance

[niha17]

i would have drafted him and let the lakers give me added picks to get him

[Revived]

This is just Shams, who is represented by Klutch, making it seem as if Bronny was actually wanted by any team lol. No team considered drafting him except the Lakers. He doesn’t have desirable basketball skills.

[Pickled Prunes]

This is just Shams, who is represented by Klutch, making it seem as if Bronny was actually wanted by any team lol. No team considered drafting him except the Lakers. He doesn’t have desirable basketball skills.

Spot on. I'm sure he would have received Summer League invites if he went undrafted, but only the LeLakers would waste even a late pick on him.

[J-Mezzy]

More cap from Klutch

[MikRay]

lol
BS

[fuller4379]

Lakers are the joke of the NBA now.

[closg00]

Now the Lakers have to keep Bronny the entire length of whatever contract LeBrob signs, dumb asset MGMT.

[haste10176]

This is just Shams, who is represented by Klutch, making it seem as if Bronny was actually wanted by any team lol. No team considered drafting him except the Lakers. He doesn’t have desirable basketball skills.

Spot on. I'm sure he would have received Summer League invites if he went undrafted, but only the LeLakers would waste even a late pick on him.

Sometimes 55 is unused.. Also why did rich paul threaten teams if he was picked he would play in Australia? Also why not this energy for giannis brother all these years

[haste10176]

This is just Shams, who is represented by Klutch, making it seem as if Bronny was actually wanted by any team lol. No team considered drafting him except the Lakers. He doesn’t have desirable basketball skills.

Spot on. I'm sure he would have received Summer League invites if he went undrafted, but only the LeLakers would waste even a late pick on him.

Sometimes 55 is unused.. Also why did rich paul threaten teams if he was picked he would play in Australia? Also why not this energy for giannis brother all these years

[Revived]

This is just Shams, who is represented by Klutch, making it seem as if Bronny was actually wanted by any team lol. No team considered drafting him except the Lakers. He doesn’t have desirable basketball skills.

Spot on. I'm sure he would have received Summer League invites if he went undrafted, but only the LeLakers would waste even a late pick on him.

Sometimes 55 is unused.. Also why did rich paul threaten teams if he was picked he would play in Australia? Also why not this energy for giannis brother all these years

Who told you Rich Paul threatened teams? Shams? Or some other Klutch paid media source?

Lol my mom threatened teams to not draft me either and if they do, then I’d just go do a forever vacation in Australia. I guess it worked since I was selected in the NBA draft.

[Pickled Prunes]

This is just Shams, who is represented by Klutch, making it seem as if Bronny was actually wanted by any team lol. No team considered drafting him except the Lakers. He doesn’t have desirable basketball skills.

Spot on. I'm sure he would have received Summer League invites if he went undrafted, but only the LeLakers would waste even a late pick on him.

Sometimes 55 is unused.. Also why did rich paul threaten teams if he was picked he would play in Australia? Also why not this energy for giannis brother all these years

Sure, there are no guarantees at 55, but that doesn't make it a worthless pick. They could have used the pick on something productive and signed Bronny when he went undrafted. There was a lot of movement late in this draft. ORL traded No. 47 to NOP for two future swaps. #52 got traded three times, if I'm counting correctly. Bronny was drafted at 55 to appease Lebron.

I doubt the report about Rich Paul is true because I don't believe any other teams wanted Bronny. But if a team did want to take a long shot on Bronny, what better way to cash in than to stash him in Australia until he developed an NBA worthy game? His draft team keeps his draft rights and maintain a free roster spot, all while he develops his game on someone else's dime. Win/win!

Thanasis was drafted by in 2014 by the NYK. Giannis had just finished his not so special rookie season, averaging 7/4/2. I agree that he is eating a roster spot in MIL, but he made the league on his own.

Kostas was drafted by PHI and traded to DAL for Shake Milton. He has signed contracts with DAL, LAL and CHI. He never played with Giannis, although he did get 2:18 playing time against the Buck while with LAL. Once again, he made the NBA on his own merit.

Alex went undrafted. He did sign training camp deals with TOR in 2021 and MIL in 2022 and 2023. He also played in Summer League with SAC but has yet to make a roster. This is more of what I suggested for Bronny, as opposed to throwing a pick away on a player that clearly isn't ready.

And yeah, I do feel bad for the player that didn't hear his name called, just so Lebron could he his kid's name called. Some kid needed this far more than Bronny did.