© Kyle Terada | 2019 Apr 30
Light years ahead, or just plain lucky?
Those who have scoffed at Joe Lacob’s assertion that the Warriors are the former received some ammunition following the release of Ethan Strauss new book, The Victory Machine, which details the rise and fall of Golden State’s dynasty.
It turns out the dynasty we close to being over before it started on more than one occasion, as Strauss details that then assistant general manager Bob Myers tried to trade Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson for established stars multiple times. The most egregious instance took place in 2011, when Myers offered both players for Chris Paul, then a member of the New Orleans Pelicans.
“It was far from the only time Curry was shopped, but in this instance, the deal was very close to completion,” Strauss wrote. “Myers made the offer and Hornets GM Dell Demps was receptive.”
The deal was also slated to include first-round pick Ekpe Udoh on the Warriors’ side and Tyson Chandler on the Hornets’.
Ultimately it was Paul who squashed the deal, with the point guard making it clear that if he was traded to the Warriors, he would not sign a long-term deal. But it didn’t end there, Myers offered the pair up to other teams after the Paul deal fell through.
“The Hornets weren’t the only organization to narrowly lose out on the deal of a lifetime. According to one GM, ‘The Warriors were blind lucky that they were unsuccessful in trading Steph and Klay together for the stars they offered them together for,’ he said. ‘There were many, many people they tried to get and failed.’”
You have to cut Myers a little slack. At the time, Curry was just in his second year and already dealing with ankle issues that would plague his early career. Thompson was a rookie, and was thought of as a player who could shoot but do little else.
It’s especially cruel for Paul, who shares responsibility for keeping a Warriors team together that has on multiple occasions been the only thing keeping him out of the NBA Finals.