Kobe Bryant spent his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five NBA championships and becoming a symbol of loyalty to the franchise. The Lakers traded for Bryant from the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, and no other team ever succeeded in swaying his commitment.
However, the Dallas Mavericks came closer than anyone else to breaking Bryant’s bond with the Lakers. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban revealed just how close his team was to acquiring Bryant during his appearance on The Big Podcast with Shaquille O’Neal. Cuban shared the details of their 2007 trade scenario.
“Do you realize how close we were to trading for Kobe in 2007? I talked to Jerry Buss and worked something out with Jerry because Kobe had asked to leave… and so I talked to him, and it was going to be Josh Howard, Jason Terry, and picks,” said Cuban.
“I literally remember telling this dude, ‘Guess what? Kobe’s going to be a Mav.’ And I literally thought it was done. Then Mitch Kupchak obviously stepped up and said, ‘We can’t do this,’ talked Kobe out of it, and the rest is history,” he added.
The Moment Kobe Bryant Nearly Left the Lakers
Kobe Bryant retired in 2016 after spending his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers. Throughout his time with the team, the Lakers All-time greatest legend did everything he could to elevate the Lakers, often pushing for better rosters around him.
However, there was a point when even Bryant considered leaving the Lakers. After the 2007 season, Bryant became frustrated after the Phoenix Suns eliminated the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs. As Lakers Nation reported, he publicly demanded a trade during the offseason.
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“The following offseason, Bryant publicly demanded a trade but ultimately backed off his demand,” the report read.
Despite his frustrations, Bryant stayed with the Lakers, winning two more championships in 2009 and 2010. This brief moment of uncertainty in 2007 reminds me of how close Bryant came to leaving and his lasting loyalty to the Lakers.
