In 2007, Kobe Bryant nearly joined the Dallas Mavericks in a trade that would have sent Josh Howard, Jason Terry, and draft picks to the Lakers—while Dirk Nowitzki remained untouchable—but the deal fell through.
Los Angeles Lakers icon Kobe Bryant almost became a Dallas Maverick in 2007, according to former Mavs majority owner Mark Cuban. He shared the story on Shaquille O'Neal's The Big Podcast with Shaq.
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Position: SG
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Height: 198 cm
Weight: 93 kg
Birth place: Philadelphia, United States of America
"Do you realize how close we were to trading for Kobe in 2007? It was literally this close," Cuban said. "I talked to Jerry Buss [Lakers owner] 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.'"
Cuban made it clear that Dirk Nowitzki, the reigning NBA MVP at the time, was off-limits in trade talks.
"It was going to be Josh Howard, Jason Terry, and picks. No Dirk, cause I said anybody but Dirk," Cuban recalled. "I literally remember telling this dude, 'Guess what? Kobe's going to be a Mav,' and I literally thought it was done, and then Mitch Kupchak [Lakers GM] obviously stepped up and said we can't do this, talked Kobe out of it. Rest is history."
Although the trade never happened, both franchises still found success.
Bryant went on to win two more championships with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010, finishing his career with five titles. Nowitzki led the Mavericks to their first NBA championship in 2011.
Both players retired as true icons of their respective teams.
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