Golden State Warriors: Bogut-Ellis Trade Still Paying Off

February 4, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) and guard Stephen Curry (30) pose with the All-Star jerseys before the game against the Dallas Mavericks at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

In the Golden State Warriors‘ recent turnaround from one of the worst teams in the NBA to one of the best teams in the NBA, there were several key moments. When the Warriors drafted Stephen Curry with the seventh overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, that was the beginning of the turnaround. When Joe Lacob and Peter Guber bought the team, the culture started to change.

When the Warriors hired Mark Jackson, he helped the Warriors become a playoff contender. When the Warriors fired Coach Jackson and hired Steve Kerr, that marked another milestone in the turnaround.

One of the most important moments in the Warriors’ turnaround though is a trade that occurred on March 13, 2012. The Warriors traded Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh, and Kwame Brown to the Milwaukee Bucks for Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson.

Why was this such a significant trade? Because there were four extremely beneficial results of the trade.

Next: Stephen Curry Becomes a Superstar