According to Mark Cuban, NBA legend Kobe Bryant almost suited up for the Dallas Mavericks in 2007 as part of a trade.
Cuban told the story on Shaquille O’Neal’s “The Big Podcast with Shaq.”
“Do you realize how close we were to trading for Kobe [Bryant] in 2007? It was literally this close,” Cuban said. “I talked to [Los Angeles Lakers owner] Jerry Buss and worked something out with Jerry because Kobe had asked to leave. Jerry said, ‘OK, if you want to leave, we’ll take care of it.’
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“It was going to be Josh Howard and Jason Terry and picks. No Dirk [Nowitzki], cause I said anybody but Dirk. I literally remember telling this dude, ‘Guess what? Kobe’s going to be a Mav,’ and I literally thought it was done, and then [Lakers general manager] Mitch Kupchak obviously stepped up and said we can’t do this, talked Kobe out of it.”
Despite the failed trade attempt, things worked out well for both franchises. Bryant won two more championships with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010 to finish with five overall, and Nowitzki brought the Mavs their first title in 2011, sweeping Bryant and the Lakers along the way.
Both players retired as franchise icons, became Pro Basketball Hall of Famers and received statues outside their home stadiums.