Ex-Knicks GM claims he tried to trade up for Steph Curry in 2009 draft

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The story of the 2009 NBA Draft has been well-chronicled.

Steph Curry didn't want the Warriors to draft him, with dreams of putting up shots for the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden dancing in his head. Then-Warriors general manager Larry Riley had Curry as the No. 2 player on his board behind Blake Griffin, and although the Currys asked the Warriors not to draft the eventual two-time NBA MVP, Riley made the smart choice and selected Curry with the No. 7 overall pick.

But just how close were the Knicks, who wanted to pair Curry with then-coach Mike D'Antoni, to getting their man. Former Knicks general manager Donnie Walsh told the New York Post's Marc Berman that he found out the Warriors were going to take Curry the night before the draft and tried to move up the board.

“I really wanted Stephen in that draft, and when I realized that Golden State was going to take him, I tried to trade up to take him,” Walsh told Berman. “But I could not get the pick I needed so I looked elsewhere and tried to fill a need. Stephen was the guy and he obviously would have made a huge difference.”

However, a source told Berman that the Knicks never called the Minnesota Timberwolves, who held the No. 5 and No. 6 picks in the draft, to offer a trade and that there was genuine surprise in the Knicks' draft room when the Warriors took Curry.

The Timberwolves ended up drafting Jonny Flynn and Ricky Rubio with back-to-back picks, and Curry was on his way to the Bay.

Although the Currys and Steph's agent asked the Warriors not to draft the sharpshooting guard, it was the Knicks' interest in Curry that told Riley he was on the right path.

“The truth is I respected Donnie Walsh a great deal,” Riley told Berman. “Their interest in Steph reaffirmed what we already believed."

[RELATED: Steph, MJ on Phil's list for next "The Match" with Tiger]

We know how history played out. The Warriors took Curry and three titles an unprecedented success followed. Meanwhile, the Knicks drafted Jordan Hill who played just 24 games for New York before being trade for cap relief.

It's tough to be the Knicks.

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