Truth & Rumors > NBA

Kobe to the Pistons? It nearly happened

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08:09 AM ET 02.19 | The post-Shaq era could also have been a post-Kobe era. [After all the anger and angst and fury] had inspired Kobe Bryant to make a trade demand, Jerry Buss finally called his superstar guard to the owner's home in the Los Angeles hills on an autumn evening in 2007. The Los Angeles Lakers had found a trade for Bryant, but Buss warned him that it wasn't to one of his selected destinations. "Detroit," Buss said. ... Looking back, Bryant isn't sure it would've mattered whether it was Detroit or Chicago, Dallas or New York. In that moment, in Buss' house in the hills, it washed over Bryant how much staying a Laker for life meant to him, how no matter how dire the state of the franchise seemed, that Buss had a history of restoring the Lakers.

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Kobe Bryant, Getty Images Kobe Bryant, Getty Images
Comment #1 has been removed
February 19, 2013  08:36 AM ET

Wow, now going 5 years back for a story. C'mon interns, if you want to generate interest, do another Kobe throwing a teammate under a bus, or demanding they get traded or raping another woman story.

That's the money!

Comment #3 has been removed
February 19, 2013  08:39 AM ET

Kobe would have won titles with Ben Wallace, R. Wallace, Billups, assuming that the Pistons trade away Prince and Hamilton

February 19, 2013  08:43 AM ET

We could have another Kobe is the greatest of all time thread as well.

Then again, he isn't, but that's a different story. Hell, his playoff stats are at the level of Havlicek and he didn't have the benefit of a watered down league or first round fodder to play against.

Or Hondo is one of the greatest of all time.

Hmmm......

Then again, Bryant is playing today and therefore he's better because all things now are better than in the past.

Comment #6 has been removed
February 19, 2013  08:49 AM ET

Well as a Laker fan I'm glad it didn't happen.

February 19, 2013  08:59 AM ET

Dr. Jerry Buss, Rest In Peace, Bro.

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February 19, 2013  09:14 AM ET

A wise decision Bro. DH should be thinking the same thing in June!

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February 19, 2013  09:47 AM ET

LOL, I'm with the first couple of folks, who gives a ****?!

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Comment #16 has been removed
February 19, 2013  09:56 AM ET
QUOTE(#4):

Kobe would have won titles with Ben Wallace, R. Wallace, Billups, assuming that the Pistons trade away Prince and Hamilton

Dumb comment, you don't know what would have happened

February 19, 2013  10:14 AM ET
QUOTE(#12):

Somehow I doubt Kobe called up the reporter and said "hey, since Dr. Buss has passed on, do a story on me about how I was almost traded to the Pistons", so shutty.

Correct.

February 19, 2013  10:15 AM ET
QUOTE(#17):

Dumb comment, you don't know what would have happened

It's all hypothetical, which is the nature of Fannation.

 
February 19, 2013  10:15 AM ET
QUOTE(#16):

I am sure that Dr. Buss' passing is affecting not only the Lakers franchise, players and fans but also NBA fans all over. Under these circumstances it is hard to believe that someone would make classless comments about the Lakers but Frenchie did so in another thread.

It happens on an open forum with no accountability. You're dealing with folks under alias screen names. Anything goes.

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