Draz
02-10-2016, 05:54 PM
Lakers offered Kobe for LeBron back in 07' when Kobe was demanding trades, at the time Bron was 22.
James was 22 years old at that time. He'd just led a team with limited talent to the Finals before losing to the Spurs. He'd averaged 25 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists during the Cavs' playoff run, including a 48-point game in Detroit in the conference finals when he scored 29 of his team's final 30 points. He'd win his first MVP award two years later. James was under contract for three more seasons, determined to be better the next time he made the Finals.
This was the moment in time. One was the best player in the league, and one was the next-best player in the league. If Bryant was ever going to be traded, it would have to be for a player of James' caliber.
According to multiple sources, as the Lakers went through their options, a call was placed to the Cavs. The intent of the call, sources said, was clear: Would the Cavs make James available in a potential deal for Bryant?
Those who worked in Cleveland's front office remember it for one reason: It was the only time a team ever called to make an offer for James. He was considered the ultimate untouchable. Frankly, until that time, so was Bryant.
Even in 2003, when the Cavs won the draft lottery, the team's front office figured it would get a "Godfather" offer or two to give up the No. 1 pick they planned to use on James. But the phone never rang.
"I believe it," James told ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin this week about the 2007 offer. "If you give up one big fish, you got to get a big fish, too."
The Cavs said that James, indeed, was untouchable, sources said. Then they attempted to make the Lakers a different offer for Bryant, offering anyone else on their team in a package for him. The Lakers had no interest.
or Bryant, who had a no-trade clause in his contract, the answer was simple.
"I never would've approved it. Never. The trade to go to Cleveland? Never," Bryant told Holmes. "That wasn't one of the teams that was on my list. It was Chicago, San Antonio [or] Phoenix."
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14752456/truehoop-presents-sources-reveal-2007-kobe-lebron-trade-talk
James was 22 years old at that time. He'd just led a team with limited talent to the Finals before losing to the Spurs. He'd averaged 25 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists during the Cavs' playoff run, including a 48-point game in Detroit in the conference finals when he scored 29 of his team's final 30 points. He'd win his first MVP award two years later. James was under contract for three more seasons, determined to be better the next time he made the Finals.
This was the moment in time. One was the best player in the league, and one was the next-best player in the league. If Bryant was ever going to be traded, it would have to be for a player of James' caliber.
According to multiple sources, as the Lakers went through their options, a call was placed to the Cavs. The intent of the call, sources said, was clear: Would the Cavs make James available in a potential deal for Bryant?
Those who worked in Cleveland's front office remember it for one reason: It was the only time a team ever called to make an offer for James. He was considered the ultimate untouchable. Frankly, until that time, so was Bryant.
Even in 2003, when the Cavs won the draft lottery, the team's front office figured it would get a "Godfather" offer or two to give up the No. 1 pick they planned to use on James. But the phone never rang.
"I believe it," James told ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin this week about the 2007 offer. "If you give up one big fish, you got to get a big fish, too."
The Cavs said that James, indeed, was untouchable, sources said. Then they attempted to make the Lakers a different offer for Bryant, offering anyone else on their team in a package for him. The Lakers had no interest.
or Bryant, who had a no-trade clause in his contract, the answer was simple.
"I never would've approved it. Never. The trade to go to Cleveland? Never," Bryant told Holmes. "That wasn't one of the teams that was on my list. It was Chicago, San Antonio [or] Phoenix."
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14752456/truehoop-presents-sources-reveal-2007-kobe-lebron-trade-talk