Being a Phoenix Suns fan means being someone who has dealt with trauma, pain, poor decisions, health issues, and bad luck throughout the history of the franchise, and throughout your own existence as a fan.
One thing I think we’ve done a good job of this summer from a Bright Side perspective is not leaning too heavily into any of that. We’re already in the doldrums of the offseason, and there’s no need to constantly look backward when all I want to do is look forward.
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That being said, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton recently appeared on the Numbers on the Board podcast and revealed that his agent called the Phoenix Suns in an effort to get him drafted with the 10th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
“And Phoenix? We were calling Phoenix,” Haliburton said. “Cause, like, ‘Y’all need a PG”‘. I was trying to play with Book. Let me go play with Book. And they were like, ‘We’re drafting a power forward'”.
Ugh, I can’t get away from it.
It remains one of the greatest, and certainly one of the most recent, what ifs in franchise history. That Suns team already had Chris Paul, who would have been the ideal mentor for a young Tyrese Haliburton coming out of Iowa State.
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I remember that draft specifically because we had way too much time on our hands. It was the COVID era, and I had recently started writing for Bright Side. Haliburton and Devin Vassell were the two players I was highest on, and we all had the same “what the fuck” look on our faces when James Jones and the Suns ultimately selected Jalen Smith.
To this day, it remains one of those decisions you try not to talk about and try not to think about because of how much it could have changed the trajectory of the franchise. Granted, you can never truly know what Phoenix would have looked like with Haliburton or how his development would have played out within this organization and this city. But the foundation was there for him to become a great point guard who could play alongside Devin Booker for years to come.
To hear Haliburton say that he wanted to come to Phoenix is another kick in the side and another reminder that bad decisions can have long-term repercussions. That’s what makes this particular what-if so painful. It wasn’t some impossible scenario built entirely through hindsight. Haliburton was available. Phoenix had the pick. He wanted to be here. The basketball fit made sense then and looks even better now. Nobody can say exactly how history would have changed, but we know what actually happened. Sometimes franchise-altering mistakes are complicated. This one still feels painfully simple.
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