Former Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers may not have a lot of regrets from his incredible run, but not drafting Tyrese Haliburton seems to be one of them.
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As the Golden State Warriors struggle to find their form amid a 10-11 start to the season, the team can reminisce on a failed decision in the 2020 NBA Draft. The team used the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft to select James Wiseman, who only appeared in 60 regular season games before being traded last February.
It's been a commonly pointed-out mistake that LaMelo Ball could have been the Warriors' choice, given he went No. 3 overall to the Charlotte Hornets. However, Tyrese Haliburton, selected No. 12 in the draft order by the Sacramento Kings, has emerged as another missed opportunity.
Former Warriors general manager Bob Myers, a commentator on ESPN's broadcast of the NBA In-Season Tournament in Las Vegas on Thursday, expressed his regret for passing on Haliburton. Myers revealed he should have more strongly valued the impression Haliburton made during the team's pre-draft workout.
"What bothers me more than anything was, his workout was good. When we met with him after, I should have known then because, of who he is as a person and as a leader," Myers admitted. "Because you meet with people, you talk to them, [but] that conversation left a mark because of how smart he is and how confident. It's not fake, it's not arrogant, it's confidence."
"So, when you talk about players wanting to play with him, that's real because he's a great player. He's showing us now he's a great player, and this is a fantastic stage for him."
Haliburton stole the show during the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament, recording 27 points and 15 assists to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 128-119 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. He remains in a prime position to be the first NBA Cup MVP. He's averaging 26.9 points and 12.1 assists through 18 games this season.
During the draft process in 2020, there was speculation about the Warriors potentially having the option to trade down from the No. 2 pick in order to better justify draft Haliburton. ESPN's Jonathan Givony reported Golden State being "high" on the Iowa State product.
Haliburton's coach at Iowa State even told Chris Dortch of NBA.com that he hoped his former standout guard would land with the Warriors or the San Antonio Spurs. Given the emphasis Golden State places on ball movement, there was a sense Haliburton would fit in seamlessly due to his ability to score, space the floor, and be a playmaker within the game's flow.
"I hope he ends up with Golden State or San Antonio," Prohm said. "He'd be great [for the Warriors]. He's a ball mover, and he can play the 1, 2 or 3 at the next level. And he's all about winning, all about doing the right things, a lot of the things I've read about what the Warriors do as a team."
The Warriors are far from alone when it comes to NBA teams failing to capitalize on the chance to either outright select Haliburton in the draft or trade up to be in a position to take him. Even the Kings ended their historic 16-year NBA playoff drought by trading Haliburton for Domantas Sabonis but sacrificed long-term potential. The more success the rising star has in the league, the more stories about such failed opportunities continue to surface.
