In one of the most widely-panned draft moments in modern NBA history, David Kahn and the Minnesota Timberwolves absolutely flubbed the 2009 NBA Draft.
As a team heading into the draft with a need at point guard, the Timberwolves were well-positioned with not only the No. 5 pick, but the No. 6 pick as well. In a draft class thought to be deep at the point guard position, Minnesota should have been able to walk away with a star at the position.
Looking back with hindsight, they had an even greater opportunity: to land one of the best 10 or 12 players of all time. Davidson guard Stephen Curry was on the board when the Wolves came on the clock, but instead of taking the future Hall of Famers, the Wolves drafted Spanish guard Ricky Rubio and Syracuse guard Johnny Flynn, letting Curry drop to the Golden State Warriors.
Try to look back that far and consider an alternate future, where the Timberwolves have paired Curry and Kevin Love to establish the foundation of a league-leading offense, while the Warriors are left to pivot to someone like Jordan Hill or Flynn. The dynasty that has defined the league for the last decade would have never existed.
Curry and Rubio were always linked
In the years immediately following the draft, Curry and Ricky Rubio were linked as everyone watched to see whether the Timberwolves would be vindicated for their decision or villified. Flynn turned out to be an instant-bust, but Rubio continued to show flashes of brilliance as a passer and finisher, first in Spain and then with the Wolves when he finally came over.
Eventually, however, Curry transformed into an MVP and began winning titles, while Rubio battled injuries and inconsistency and fell way behind, never achieving real postseason success nor making a single All-Star team.
Fast forward to 2024, and Rubio is retired and Curry is trying to win another title before his prime deserts him. To help the cause, the Golden State Warriors signed guard De'Anthony Melton this offseason to the full Mid-Level Exception, hoping to plug him into the starting lineup beside Curry as the perfect wingman.
The early-season pairing was excellent. Melton's perimeter defense was unleashed in the Warriors' ecosystem, he was knocking down 3-pointers, and his secondary creation and playmaking against defenses out of position trying to slow down Curry was exactly what the Warriors needed.
Then Melton tore his ACL, and that perfect fit turned into a wisp of smoke. Draymond Green and others expressed hope that Melton could stick around and re-sign next summer, with an eye toward helping the Warriors in 2025-26, but it always made too much sense for Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the front office to use his expiring salary in a trade to add a player who could help them this season.
The Warriors did just that, trading Melton the very day he was eligible to be moved on December 15th for Brooklyn Nets point guard Dennis Schroder. Another veteran guard to pair with Curry, but this one to better carry the offense when Curry sits with a lesser impact as an off-ball shooter and defender.
In trading Melton, however, the Warriors might be creating a situation where Curry and Rubio are linked once more.
The Warriors could re-sign De'Anthony Melton
Three years ago, just a couple of days after Christmas, Ricky Rubio was playing a key role for the Cleveland Cavaliers as a veteran point guard having one of the best scoring seasons of his career. Then he tore his ACL and was out for the remainder of the season.
Rather than sit on his contract, a Cavaliers team in the thick of the playoff race used him as matching salary to trade for Caris LeVert, sending Rubio and a draft pick to the Indiana Pacers. LeVert became a key piece of their rotation and remains so to this day.
That following summer, however, Rubio hit free agency and came right back to the Cavaliers, signing a multi-year deal to play for Cleveland once he was ready to take the court once again. Unfortunately for Rubio and the Cavs, he was never quite able to regain his pre-injury form, and he ended up retiring from basketball after another 33 games.
Could the Warriors follow the same path as the Cavaliers and sign De'Anthony Melton this summer? He truly was a perfect fit alongside Curry, and he should be very affordable coming off of his injury. He should be ready to play sometime in the first few months of next season, and he could build his way back into the rotation ahead of a playoff run in 2026.
Rubio went first in 2007, and the Warriors benefited. Now in this area Rubio went first by performing a boomerang trade-and-sign. Could the Warriors follow his example and bring Melton back after trading away the injured guard? If Melton doesn't have any bad feelings, it seems like a shrewd move the team should consider pulling off.