:quality(85)/tpg/sources/e771fddc-0508-4ab0-9459-feabbcfc6f0c.jpeg "Mark Cuban Recalls Near-Trade That Almost Sent Kobe Bryant To Dallas")
Basketball followers like to debate the nice “what-ifs” in NBA historical past, however few near-misses are as tantalizing because the commerce that just about despatched Kobe Bryant to the Dallas Mavericks in 2007. On April 7, 2026, Mavericks proprietor Mark Cuban reignited the dialog by revealing simply how shut he got here to pulling off a blockbuster deal that may have paired Bryant with Dallas icon Dirk Nowitzki. The story, retold throughout a number of podcasts and sports activities shops, has left followers and analysts alike questioning how the league might need modified if two of its largest stars had joined forces in Texas.
According to Cuban, the commerce talks unfolded throughout a very hectic interval in his life—whereas he was competing on the fact present ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ “It was 2007, Kobe was ready to get out. And I was on Dancing with the Stars. Google me. I didn’t win,” Cuban joked on the Club 520 Podcast. In between rehearsals and reside reveals, Cuban discovered himself sneaking away to barter with Kobe’s agent, Rob Pelinka, and to hunt approval from Lakers proprietor Jerry Buss. The Mavericks had put collectively a compelling provide: Josh Howard, Jason Terry, and two first-round draft picks in trade for Bryant, who was then thought-about the guts and soul of the Los Angeles Lakers.
“There was a dude named Elvis who was a production assistant, right? And he was just Kobe love everything. I’m between breaks, I’d be like, Elvis, I need a quiet spot. And I would talk to Rob Pelinka, his agent at the time, and he’s like, ‘Okay, if you can get Dr. Buss to approve,'” Cuban recalled. The items gave the impression to be falling into place. Cuban spoke with Jerry Buss, who, in keeping with Cuban, was able to log out on the commerce. “He was ready to do it. It was like two firsts, Josh Howard, and Jason Terry for Kobe. I thought, ‘Okay, this is done.’ I told Elvis, ‘This is done.'”
But as any seasoned NBA observer is aware of, no deal is full till it’s inked. The closing hurdle proved insurmountable: Lakers basic supervisor Mitch Kupchak stepped in and satisfied Bryant to remain in Los Angeles. That single intervention would ripple via NBA historical past, preserving Bryant in purple and gold and leaving Cuban and the Mavericks to surprise what might need been. “We got a call from Rob that Mitch Kupchak, right? Had talked Kobe out of it. That close,” Cuban stated.
Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavericks’ franchise participant and a future Hall of Famer, was saved within the loop all through the method. In a twist that reveals each his humility and dedication to the group, Nowitzki even provided himself up as a commerce piece. “I was telling Dirk [Nowitzki] the whole time. He goes, ‘You can trade me. I would trade me for Kobe, too,'” Cuban remembered. Cuban, nonetheless, was adamant that the objective was to pair the 2 superstars, not swap one for the opposite. “No, Dirk, the whole point is y’all two,” he insisted.
The context of this near-trade is essential. By 2007, the Lakers had been in a interval of flux. The dominant duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal had been cut up up after O’Neal’s departure in 2004, leaving Bryant to hold the group via a number of difficult seasons. Frustrated with the Lakers’ course, Bryant was reportedly open to leaving Los Angeles, sparking commerce discussions with a number of franchises, together with the Mavericks. For Cuban, who had lengthy sought to land a famous person to enhance Nowitzki, the chance was nearly too good to be true.
“Kobe was ready to get out…And I was on Dancing with the Stars. Google me. I didn’t win. But in any event, there was a dude named Elvis who was a production assistant. And he was just Kobe love everything. And in between breaks, I’d be like, ‘Elvis, I need a quiet spot,’ and I would talk to Rob Pelinka, his agent at the time, and he’s like, ‘Okay, if you can get Dr. Buss to approve,’” Cuban told Eurohoops in another interview.
The trade, had it gone through, would have dramatically altered the NBA landscape. Pairing Bryant with Nowitzki would have created one of the most formidable duos in league history. Nowitzki’s unique skill set—a nearly unguardable jump shot and mastery of the mid-range—combined with Bryant’s legendary scoring prowess and killer instinct, could have vaulted the Mavericks into perennial championship contention. The prospect left fans salivating, and even today, the story sparks heated debates about how many titles Dallas might have won with both stars on the roster.
Instead, history took a different path. Bryant stayed in Los Angeles, where the Lakers’ front office, led by Kupchak, rebuilt the team around him. The addition of Trevor Ariza and, more importantly, the acquisition of Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies at the 2008 trade deadline, transformed the Lakers back into a juggernaut. Bryant would go on to win two more championships in 2009 and 2010, solidifying his legacy as one of the all-time greats. Meanwhile, Nowitzki remained the cornerstone of the Mavericks, enduring years of playoff heartbreak before finally capturing his own elusive championship in 2011.
Looking back, Cuban’s relentless pursuit of superstar talent is emblematic of his tenure as Mavericks owner. He was never shy about swinging for the fences, even if it meant risking the team’s future assets. “This near-miss commerce highlights Mark Cuban’s relentless pursuit of famous person expertise to pair with Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavericks’ franchise participant. While the deal finally fell via, it demonstrates the lengths Cuban was prepared to go to construct a championship contender in Dallas,” noted a recent analysis.
Ultimately, the failed commerce is a testomony to the unpredictable nature of NBA roster constructing. For each blockbuster that shakes up the league, there are numerous offers that collapse on the final minute, usually as a consequence of a single telephone name or a change of coronary heart. In this case, the intervention of Mitch Kupchak not solely saved Bryant in Los Angeles but in addition preserved the distinctive legacies of each Bryant and Nowitzki—every main their respective groups to championship glory on their very own phrases.
As the Mavericks and Lakers proceed to forge their very own paths within the NBA, the ghost of the almost-trade lingers as a reminder of how shut the league got here to witnessing a partnership for the ages. For now, followers are left to think about what might need been, understanding that typically, the best tales in sports activities are those that by no means fairly occur.
