When the Milwaukee Bucks missed the chance to get Stephen Curry

In an alternate universe, Steph Curry could have been a Buck.

© Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Delving into "what-ifs" is mostly a futile exercise. But every now and then, it's worth looking back at a what-if scenario and examining how things might have been different. The Milwaukee Bucks had a chance to get Stephen Curry in a trade in 2012, but they rejected the offer, and it's fair to wonder how things might have been different if they had pulled the trigger.

Injury concerns

It's not hard to see why the Bucks were interested in Curry. He was a young, up-and-coming player with plenty of potential. And while he had yet to establish himself as the superstar we know today, there were already signs that he could be a special player.

The biggest concern for the Bucks was Curry's injuries. He had missed significant time in each of his first three seasons due to ankle problems, and there was worry that he wouldn't be able to stay healthy enough to be a long-term solution at point guard.

Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry shared that the team was discussing a trade with the Golden State Warriors involving Curry and big man Andrew Bogut, who the Bucks picked with the first overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. However, the medical team wasn't convinced that Curry's ankles would hold up, and the Bucks ultimately decided to pass on the deal.

"That was the deal. But the Bucks' medical staff didn't think Steph's ankle would hold up. That killed the deal," said Lasry.

The Bucks and the Warriors eventually settled on a trade that sent Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh, and Kwame Brown to the Bucks in exchange for Bogut and Stephen Jackson.

The rest is history

That trade was a turning point for the Warriors. With Ellis no longer hogging the ball in the backcourt, Curry blossomed into a two-time MVP and became the face of the franchise. Moreover, he changed how the game is being played, with his three-point shooting opening up whole new possibilities for how teams can attack on offense. The Warriors went on to win the 2015 NBA Finals, their first championship in 40 years. They followed that up by winning another title in 2017 and 2018. They added another in 2022.

The Bucks, on the other hand, have done well for themselves. With Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way, they captured an NBA title in 2021.

But one can't help but wonder how things might have been different if they had pulled the trigger on that trade for Steph Curry back in 2012. Could we have had a Curry-Giannis duo? A scary sight to imagine.