SAN FRANCISCO – The Warriors for more than a decade have found unmatched success with players who have direct ties to NBA dads. Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Gary Payton II and Trayce Jackson-Davis all have thrived in Golden State.
Entering the 2024 NBA Draft, the Warriors have only one pick at No. 52 overall. They very well might find another player who has family connections to the game one way or another. But it's unlikely Golden State selects the draft’s most famous name, Bronny James -- son of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
“Pretty wide open, honestly,” Dunleavy said Monday when asked if he’s assuming the Warriors will roster their draft pick. “You know, I think between rostering, you can two-way, you can trade. You could two-way with an option to roster.
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“I'm aware once you get later into the second round that generally ends up being a two-way deal, but there's also benefits of rostering a second-round pick. Honestly on that one, it's pretty wide open.”
Dunleavy traded back into the second round last year in his first draft as GM to take Jackson-Davis at No. 57 overall. The Indiana big man should not have still been available. Plain and simple. His agent also is Dunleavy’s brother.
The Warriors were able to sign Jackson-Davis to a four-year contract with the first two years being guaranteed, making it clear the four-year college starter, who turned 24 years old in February, would be on the Warriors’ 15-man roster.
Doing the same with Bronny will be a little more complicated.
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"I got the word out early to teams that if you plan on bringing Bronny in, here's what you need to know: If you won't give him a real deal, there's nothing to talk about,” James’ agent, Rich Paul, said to ESPN last Wednesday. “It's hard to get real development on a two-way deal.”
Paul in the same interview revealed that James has worked out individually only for the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns. The Lakers have No. 17 pick, and the Suns are on the clock at No. 22. The Suns do not have a second-round pick, but the Lakers do – at No. 55, three picks behind the Warriors.
Even though James’ workouts have been limited to two teams, Paul also named the Minnesota Timberwolves, Dallas Mavericks and Toronto Raptors as teams that “love Bronny.” No mention of the Lakers’ Northern California foes.
James played 25 games for USC as a freshman and started only six. The shooting guard played 19.3 minutes per game and averaged 4.8 points on 26.7 percent shooting from 3-point range, and 67.6 percent at the free-throw line. All those stats came just months after suffering a cardiac arrest on the court.
He also had one of the top max vertical leaps at the draft combine, but came in nearly three inches shorter than his listed 6-foot-4 height.
The Warriors rostering their second-round pick makes the most sense financially. Doing so with a 19-year-old undersized 2-guard who has struggled shooting the ball doesn’t. The Warriors could use James’ athleticism, high basketball IQ and defensive desire. Dunleavy on Monday called himself “a big player development guy."
Bronny likely still needs plenty of development. Too much for the Warriors’ top priorities, in reality.
The NBA draft always brings chaos and major surprises. The heir to The King coming to Chase Center would be nothing short of a shock.