Can you imagine Kobe Bryant playing basketball in a Detroit Pistons uniform?! Um, probably not. But, back in 2007, the Lakers and Pistons actually worked out a deal after KB24 publicly demanded a trade. The proposed trade would have sent Kobe to the D in exchange for several of Detroit's star players at the time and a bunch of draft picks. All Kobe needed to do was waive his no-trade clause and the Lakers would have traded him. But, at the last minute, Kobe talked to legendary Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss and decided against leaving Los Angeles.
"It hit me that I didn't really want to walk out on Dr. Buss," Kobe told Yahoo! Sports yesterday.
And, it's a good thing he didn't. A few months later, the Lakers traded for Pau Gasol, and the Lakers put together two more championship runs almost immediately. But, it's still crazy to think that he was thisclose to spending the rest of his career in Detroit.
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[via Yahoo! Sports]
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