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Kobe Bryant came close to leaving the LA Lakers and joining the Detroit Pistons in 2007. However, his indecisiveness cost him a move to Detroit, according to former Pistons president Joe Dumars.
Dumars was the Pistons' president of basketball operations at the time and nearly pulled off a sensational move for Bryant. On “The Crossover” podcast, the former member of the “Bad Boys” revealed how one of the biggest trades in NBA history ultimately failed.
"At that time, Kobe is the only player that had a no-trade in his contract…They took it to Kobe. Mitch [Kuupchak] told me that Kobe said, ‘I need 48 hours or something to discuss this with my family.’ Dr. Buss said, ‘No. We need an answer in the next day or whatever.’ And Kobe didn’t want to be forced to make a decision that quick.”
He added:
“Dr. Buss has given him a day and if he doesn’t, Dr. Buss is pulling out and he’s done. Kobe refused to make a decision in one day, he didn’t make a decision in 24 hours. And Dr. Buss said, ‘That’s it. I’m out. We tried to make a deal, you wouldn’t make a decision and we’re gonna move forward.’”
After Shaquille O’Neal's departure from the Lakers in 2004, the team struggled. They were knocked out of the first round of the playoffs in each of the first three seasons without O'Neal.
Bryant felt like the Lakers weren’t serious about building a championship roster around him, so he wanted to take his talents elsewhere. The Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls were quietly angling to sign the NBA’s biggest star at the time.
The Pistons reportedly offered a package that included Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Amir Johnson, and a first-round pick. The 2002-03 NBA Executive of the Year explained how close he came to landing Kobe Bryant.
“Yeah! I thought it was going to work…When it didn’t happen right away and time started going by over that 24-hour period, I realized this could go off track. When we hung up and Mitch says, ‘Okay, we have a deal.’ I called Davidson, he calls Dr. Buss and he said, ‘We have a deal. Only thing, Kobe’s gotta approve it.’”
“At that moment you’re going, ‘Okay, this could happen!’ You’re not popping champagne. You’re silent about it, you're not talking with anyone about this. This is under wraps and you’re waiting for things to play out.”
Kobe Bryant sorted out his future and went on to make history with the Lakers
![The LA Lakers paired Kobe Bryant with Pau Gasol to bring more success to the franchise. [Photo: New York Post]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/08/a8f7f-16605147244031-1920.jpg)
Kobe Bryant’s desire to play for another team must have stung Jerry Buss. Months into the 2007-08 season, the LA Lakers pulled off an incredible trade, acquiring Memphis Grizzlies big man Pau Gasol.
The Spaniard quickly helped turn things around. With Kobe Bryant and Gasol in the lineup, the Lakers returned to the NBA Finals, losing in six games to their nemesis the Boston Celtics.
The Lakers grew in strength over the next couple of seasons and bagged the title in 2009 and 2010.
