Los Angeles Lakers news: Adrian Wojnarowski has seen (and heard) a lot throughout what has been a noteworthy career as a basketball reporter. Woj did not get to where he is today without having had insider knowledge of some of the biggest blockbuster trades the NBA has ever seen.
In a recent appearance on Barstool Sports’ Pardon My Take podcast, Woj dropped a bombshell about the most massive trade that never came to be. Apparently, it involved the late, great Kobe Bryant and a botched move to the Detroit Pistons.
Los Angeles Lakers News: Woj Sheds Light on Kobe Bryant’s Failed Move to Pistons
The year was 2007 and at that point, Kobe was sick of losing. The Lakers had just suffered through back-to-back first-round exits in the playoffs, and Bryant was adamant that he wanted out of Hollywood. So much so, that the Lakers front office had already agreed to a deal sending their then-cornerstone superstar to the Detroit Pistons.
Except the deal never came through.
.@wojespn shares the details of the famous trade that never happened that would’ve sent Kobe Bryant to the Detroit Pistons.
The Pistons were set to trade Tayshaun Prince, Richard Hamilton, and draft picks to the Lakers for Bryant. The agreement was essentially in place.
Bryant… pic.twitter.com/e5XRd9yaV7
— Aaron Johnson (@AJohnsonNBA) May 15, 2024
As Woj said, that blockbuster trade would have certainly changed the landscape of the NBA at that time. It also would have had a significant impact on Kobe’s legacy. He was a three-time champion at that point in his career, and who knows if he would have won his fourth and fifth championship (or maybe more?) if he took his talents to Motor City.
For their part, I’m pretty sure Lakers fans are just glad that Kobe ended up doing a complete U-turn at the 13th hour. Things would have been much, much different had he not.
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