The Draft Day Trade That ALMOST Broke The NBA

In 2009, the NBA was in an iconic era. LeBron James had just won his first MVP, Kobe Bryant secured his fourth championship, and the Celtics’ Big Three were still in their prime. Meanwhile, two teams—the Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors—missed the playoffs but found themselves at pivotal crossroads. The Suns had been legitimate playoff contenders for years, led by Steve Nash and Amar’e Stoudemire, but could never get over the hump. The Warriors, on the other hand, were still rebuilding after their unforgettable “We Believe” run in 2007.

During the 2009 NBA Draft, the Suns and Warriors nearly pulled off one of the most shocking trades in league history. Steve Kerr, then GM of the Suns, had his eyes set on Stephen Curry, a sharp-shooting guard out of Davidson. While many GMs doubted Curry’s ability to translate to the NBA, Kerr believed he could be a supercharged version of Steve Nash and the future of the franchise. He proposed a deal to the Warriors: if Curry was still available at the 7th pick, Golden State would draft him and immediately trade him to Phoenix in exchange for Amar’e Stoudemire.

At the time, Stoudemire was 26 years old, in the prime of his career, already a four-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection. In contrast, Curry was considered a major risk. Yet the Warriors seriously considered the trade. They had a clear need at the center and power forward positions, and Stoudemire would’ve been a great fit in their up-tempo system. But they also had serious concerns—particularly about Stoudemire’s injury history, especially the long-term risks of his microfracture knee surgery. They feared the Suns weren’t being fully transparent about his health. On top of that, Stoudemire was entering the final year of his contract, and the Warriors had no guarantee he would re-sign with them.

Steve Kerr also played a role in complicating the deal. Coming from an old-school mindset, he didn’t want to inform Stoudemire about the trade talks out of fear that it would damage the relationship if the trade didn’t go through. This secrecy made it impossible for the Warriors to get clarity on whether Stoudemire would commit long-term.

Ultimately, Warriors head coach Don Nelson stepped in and pushed hard to keep the pick. A visionary who embraced small-ball and the three-point shot before it became mainstream, Nelson believed Curry was the future. Thanks to his influence, the Warriors kept the pick and drafted Steph Curry themselves—changing the trajectory of the franchise forever.

For the Suns, the aftermath was brutal. They kept Stoudemire for the 2009–10 season, and the team had a fantastic playoff run, even sweeping the rival Spurs before narrowly losing to the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. But that summer, their worst fear came true: Stoudemire left in free agency and signed with the New York Knicks, leaving Phoenix with nothing in return. Steve Kerr stepped down shortly afterward, reportedly due to a contract dispute with notoriously frugal owner Robert Sarver.

The ripple effects didn’t stop there. Because the Suns were still hoping the Curry trade might go through, they passed on Jrue Holiday in the 2009 draft and instead selected Earl Clark with the 14th pick, fearing they would end up with too many point guards. In hindsight, this was another missed opportunity—Holiday became an All-Star, while Clark was out of the league in just five years.

This failed trade became a major turning point. Had it gone through, the Suns could have landed one of the greatest players in NBA history. Instead, they lost their star for nothing and fell into a 10-year playoff drought—the longest in franchise history. On the flip side, the Warriors kept Curry, built a dynasty, and changed the way basketball is played.

It’s one of those “what if” moments in NBA history that shows how a single decision—or non-decision—can alter the fate of not just two teams, but the entire league.